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The  Blood  of  The  Prophets 


BIOCRUHICAL  SKETCHES 


By   Apostle   MATTHIAS   E.  COWLEY 


SELECTED  FROM  HIS  WORK  ENTITLED, 

"  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS  " 


PUBLISHED    BY 

BEN.   E.    EICH, 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 


1844 


JOSEPH  SMITH  HYKUM  SMITH 

Prophet  and  Patriaecii 

(BROTHERS) 


1901 


JOSEPH  P.  SMITH 


JOHN  SMITH 


Prophet  and  Patriarch 


(BROTHERS) 


wh'iV^ 


)\[)V\h^'  ^^'^ 


PUBLISHER'S   PREFACE. 


HE  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  comprised  within 
this  little  volume  are  selected  from  that  very  important  book 
reantly  issued  under  the  title  of  "  Prophets  and  Patriarchs," 
by  Elder  Matthias  L.  Cowley,  himself  an  Apostle  of  the 
Church,  and  faithful  senunt  of  our  Lord  and  Master.  As 
the  publisher  and^  present  ivHterfelt  a  holy  joy  in  the  prepara- 
tion and  delivery,  to  the  world,  of  Apostle  Cowley's  book,  so  he  now  feels, 
in  equal  degree,  a  great  happiness  in  presenting  these  annals  of  the 
Pi'ophet  and  Patriarch,  and  the  other  noble  men  of  their  blood,  ivho  have 
consecrated  their  lives  to  the  Cause  of  Truth.  Nor  can  the  publisher  fed 
content  to  send  the  volume  forth  without  calling  attention  to  the  significance 
of  this  record. 

At  different  times  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  its  persecutors  and  its 
opponents  have  congratulated  themselves  that,  either  by  slaughter  or  by  perse- 
secution,  the  race  of  the  Inspired  Founder  of  the  Faith  had  been  lost  to  its 
membership  here  on  earth.  What  a  rebuke  to  their  vain  gloi'y,  and  what 
a  vindication  of  the  integrity  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch  and  their  rela- 
tives, is  this  little  book.'  Hundreds  of  the  relatives  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum 
have  lived  firm  in  the  Faith,  holding  positions  of  power  in  the  Priesthood; 
and  of  the  hundreds,  nine,  as  shown  by  these  biographical  sketches,  have 
been  called  by  the  voice  of  God  as  Prophets  and  Patriarchs  in  His  Churchy 
The  persecutors  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch,  in  their  vain  folly,  imagined 
that  the  Church  would  perish  with  the  death  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  and 
that  the  seed  ff  these  noble  men  umUd  be  scattered,  never  more  to  have  iden- 
tification with  God's  work,  restored  to  earth  for  the  last  time.  And  yet,  in 
the  Lord's  own  rounding  out  time,  another  Joseph  has  been  called  to  pre- 
side as  Prophet,  Seer  and,  Revelator,  and  the  Church  multiplies  in  strength 
and  numbers,  is  established  in  such  firm  security  thai  the  world,  while  btiil 
opposing,  has  lost  all  hope  of  destroying. 

To  the  Saints  throughout  the  tarth,and  particularly  to  all  the  men 
and  women  in  whose  veins  course  the  blood  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch, 
this  book  is  offered  as  undying  proof  of  the  integrity  of  the  Lord's  Anointed 
and  their  descendants.  In  an  especial  sense,  the  book  is  dedicated  to 
President  Joseph  Fielding  Smith,  uho  now  holds,  on  earth,  the  keys  which 
were  delivered  to  his  uncle,  the  Prophet,  and  his  father,  the  Patriarch. 

The  Publisher. 

Chattanooga,  Tenn., 

January,  1902. 


JOSEPH  SMITH,  Sr. 

Among  the  commonality  of  the  many  respectable  class  of 
faturdy  Englifch  who  emigrated  from  the  old  to  the  now  world, 
was  one  Robert  Smith,  who,  with  his  wife  Mary,  settled  in 
Essex,  Mass.,  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
The  posterity  of  these  worthy  people  went  through  all  the 
training  so  necessary  to  qualify  them  for  the  great  struggle  for 
liberty  that  was  so  soon  to  folloAV.  Samuel,  the  son  of  Robert 
and  Mary,  born  January  26,  1666,  married  Rebecca  Curtis 
January  25,  1707.  Their  son,  the  second  Samuel,  was  born 
January  26,  1714;  he  wedded  Priscilla  Gould,  and  their  son 
Asael  was  born  March  1,  1744.  Asael  Smith  wooed  and  won  a 
typioal  New  England  lass,  Mary  Duty,  and  on  July  12.  1771, 
was  born  the  character  of  this  brief  biography,  Joseph  Smith, 
the  father  of  the  prophet  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

Born,  as  he  was,  while  yet  the  dark,  ominous  clouds  of  war 
hung  heavily  over  the  peaceful  horizon  of  the  embryonic  re- 
public, it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  his  plastic  mem- 
ory retained  many  incidents  of  the  long,  weary  years  of  that 
unequal  contest,  and  it  is  only  natural  to  presume  that  some  of 
those  memories  were  closely  interwoven  with  his  father's  sol- 
dier life.  But  it  is  not  this  period  of  his  life  that  w^e  will  em- 
phasize. Suffice  it  to  say  that  he  sprang  from  some  of  the  old 
revolutionary  stock  that  has  made  it  possible  for  its  descend- 
ants to  become  freemen  in  all  the  term  implies. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1796,  Joseph  married  Lucy  Mack  at 
Tunbridge,  in  the  Stnte  of  Vermont.  She  was  born  July  8, 
1776,  just  four  days  after  the  declaration  of  independence. 
For  many  generations  the  men  of  these  two  families — Smith 
and  Mack — had  been  tillers  of  the  soil,  and  it  was  only  natural 
after  his  marriage  for  Joseph  and  his  young  bride  to  settle  on 
their  little  farm  at  Tunbridge,  and  pursue  the  honorable  av^oca- 
tion  of  their  ancestors.  This  they  did  for  a  few  j^ears,  and 
their  perseverance,  industry  and  frugality  surrounded  them 
with  the  comforts  of  life,  placing  them  on  an  equal  footing 
with  the  well-to-do  farmers  in  their  vicinity.    This  prosperity, 


o  PROPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

SO  mucli  to  be  desired,  was  of  brief  duration,  for  the  dishonesty 
of  a  trusted  friend  and  agent,  robbed  them  of  their  surplus  sav- 
ings and  left  them  plunged  in  debt.  It  is  too  often  the  case,  as 
we  journey  along  life's  rugged  highway,  viewing  the  wrecked 
fortunes  of  those  we  love,  that  we  observe  the  hidden  cause  of 
such  disasters  to  be  almost  invariably  misplaced  confidence. 

Possessing  that  higOi  regard  for  honesty  that  so  characterized 
his  ancestors,  Joseph,  together  with  his  help^mate,  sacrificed  all 
of  money  value  and  possessions,  even  the  homestead,  which  had 
endeared  itself  to  them  as  Lucy's  treasured  dowry,  and  offset 
every  just  claim  that  was  held  against  them.  During  this 
period  of  their  early  married  life,  God  blessed  them  with  three 
children,  namely:  Alvin,  born  February  11,  1799;  Hyrum, 
born  February  9,  1800,  and  Sophronia,  born  May  18,  1803. 
Left  entirely  without  means  and  home,  Joseph  rented  his  father- 
in-law's  farm,  which  was  located  at  Sharon,  Windsor  county. 
Here  he  moved  his  little  family  with  the  hope  of  retrieving  that 
which  he  had  lost.  By  tilling  the  soil  in  summer,  and  teaching 
the  village  school  in  winter,  Joseph  restored  to  his  family,  in  a 
measure,  the  home  comforts  they  once  enjoyed.  But  God's 
ways  are  not  man's  ways.  Joseph  and  Lucy,  like  their  Elder 
Brother,  had  to  learn  obedience  by  the  things  which  they  suf- 
fered, that  they  might  be  all  the  more  qualified  for  the  import- 
ant work  that  God  would  shortly  require  at  their  hands — even 
that  of  bearing  and  rearing  a  prophet.  Their  son  Joseph,  the 
Prophet,  was  born  December  2.3,  1805. 

While  at  Sharon,  though  diligent  and  industrious,  Joseph  and 
his  family  were  pursued  by  poverty  and  illness,  so  that  those  of 
the  family  who  were  able  had  to  work  hard  for  a  sustenance. 
Being  thus  almost  exclusively  engaged  in  trying  hard  to  repair 
his  shattered  fortunes,  Joseph  found  little  time  to  pay  attention 
to  the  desire  that  lay  nearest  his  heart,  that  of  educating  his 
children  and  preparing  them  for  life's  battles  and  difficulties. 
Afterward  he  moved  from  Sharon,  and  later,  in  1815,  left  the 
State  of  his  nativity,  that  in  so  many  ways  had  been  so  unkind 
to  him  and  his,  and  setting  his  face  westward,  he  journeyed 
into  the  wilds  of  New  York,  locating  at  Palmyra,  Ontario 
county.  Here  he  engaged  in  clearing  land  and  preparing  a  new 
home  for  his  family,  who  joined  him  four  years  later.  At  this 
place,  and  in  the  adjoining  town  of  Manchester,  he  dwelt  for 


JOSEPH   SMITH,  SR.  9 

several  years.  With  the  severest  toil,  assisted  by  his  young 
boys,  he  could  only  compass  a  frugal  mode  of  life.  Joseph 
Smith  was  not  a  man  to  be  ruled  entirely  by  circumstances, 
and  occasionally  we  find  him  rising  above  them,  devoting  some 
hours  of  each  week  to  the  careful  development  of  the  intellects 
of  the  children  that  God  had  entrusted  into  his  care. 

In  addition  to  those  already  named,  the  offspring  of  Joseph 
and  Lucy   Smith  are  as  follows: 

Samuel,  born  March  13,  1808,  at  Tunbridge,  Yt. 

Ephraim,  bom  March  13,  1810,  at  Royalton,  Vt. 

William,  born  March  13,  1811,  at  Royalton,  Vt. 

Catherine,  born  July  8,  1812,  at  Lebanon,  N,  H. 

Don  Carlos,  born  March  25,  1816,  probably  at  Palmyra,  N.  Y. 

Lucy,  bom  July  18,  1821,  probably  at  Palmyra,  N.  Y. 

With  such  a  large  family  to  rear  and  educate.  Father  Smith's 
time,  was  solely  occupied.  Little  from  this  period  until  his 
Prophet  son  stirred  the  whole  religious  world  with  a  strange, 
but  not  a  new  doctrine,  is  known  of  Joseph  Smith,  Sr. 

During  the  eventful  life  of  his  sons  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  he 
was  ever  their  true  friend,  wise  counselor  and  loving  father. 
When  the  shafts  of  persecution  were  hurled  with  cruel  force 
at  his  beloved  sons,  he  too  bared  his  breast  to  the  poisoned 
darts  of  bigotry,  begotten  of  the  adversary,  and  suffered  in 
common  with  them.  His  life's  attitude  toward  the  unpopular 
cause  that  his  son,  the  Prophet,  represented,  even  in  its  tender 
beginning,  is  evidence  to  the  careful  observer  that  he  pos- 
sessed deep  down  in  his  heart  the  God-given  assurance  that  it 
was  of  God.  This  testimony  remained  with  him  from  the  time 
of  that  beautiful  day  in  early  springtime,  when  his  14-year-old 
Joseph  told  him  of  what  he  had  seen  in  answer  to  his  prayer, 
until  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  the  due  course  of  time  the  Church  was  organized,  and 
Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  became  a  member  on  the  date  of  its  organ- 
ization— April  6,  1830 — and  later  became  its  first  Patriarch. 

As  to  his  labors  in  the  Church,  and  the  closing  scenes  of  his 
rigorous  and  honest  life,  I  prefer  to  close  this  brief  sketcTi  with 
the  words  of  his  son,  the  Prophet: 

"He  was  the  first  person  who  received  my  testimony  after  I 
had  seen  the  angel,  and  exhorted  me  to  be  faithful  and  diligent 
to  the  message  I  had  received. 


10  PROPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

"In  August,  1830,  in  company  with  my  brother  Don  Carlos, 
he  took  a  mission  to  St.  Lawrence,  N.  Y.,  touching  on  his  route 
at  several  Canadian  ports,  where  he  distributed  a  few  copies  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  visited  his  father,  brothers  and  sister, 
residing  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  and  bore  testimony  to  the 
truth,  which  resulted  eventually  in  all  the  family  coming  into 
the  Church  except  his  brother  Jesse  and  his  sister  Susan. 

"He  removed  with  his  family  to  Kirtlaiid  in  1831;  Avas  or- 
dained Patriarch  and  President  of  the  High  Priesthood;  was 
a  member  of  the  first  High  Council,  organized  on  the  17th  of 
February,  1884. 

"In  1836  he  traveled  in  company  with  his  brother  John  2400 
miles  in  Ohio,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Hampshire  and 
Vermont,  visiting  the  branches  of  the  Church  in  those  States, 
and  bestowing  patriarchal  blessings  on  hundreds  of  people, 
preaching  the  gospel  to  all  that  would  hear,  and  baptizing 
many. 

"During  the  persecutions  in  Kirtland  in  1837  he  was  made  a 
prisoner,  but  fortunately  he  obtained  his  liberty,  and  after  a 
tedious  journey  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1888,  he  arrived 
at  Far  West,  Mo.  From  there  he  fled  under  the  exterminating 
order  of  Gov.  Lilburn  W.  Boggs,  and  in  the  midwinter  made  his 
way  to  Quincj'',  111.,  from  whence  he  removed  to  Commerce 
(afterward  Nauvoo)  in  the  spring  of  1839. 

"Through  these  exposures  he  contracted  consumption,  of 
which  he  died  on  the  14th  day  of  September,  1840.  He  was 
six  feet  two  inches  high,  was  very  straight,  and  remarkably 
well  proportioned.  His  ordinary  weight  was  about  two  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  he  was  very  strong  and  a,ctive.  In  his  young 
days  he  was  famed  as  a  wrestler,  and,  Jacob-like,  he  never 
wrestled  with  but  one  man  whom  he  could  not  throw.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  benevolent  of  men,  opening  his  house  to  all  who 
were  destitute.  While  at  Quincy,  111.,  he  fed  hundreds  of  poor 
Saints  who  were  flying  from  Missouri  pei-secutions,  although  he 
had   arrived  there  penniless  himself." 


THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH  SMITH. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  great  Prophet  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
was  born  in  the  little  town  of  Sharon,  Windsor  county. 
Vermont,  Doc.  23rd,  1805.  Like  the  parentage  of  the  Messiah 
and  the  ancient  Prophets,  his  parents  were  poor  in  the  riches 
of  the  world,  yet  rich  in  the  possession  of  those  noble  traits 
of  character  which  go  to  make  men  good  and  great  in  the 
sight  of  Him,  "who  judgeth  not  by  the  seeing  of  the  eye  nor. 
the  bearing  of  the  ear,"  but  knows  the  hearts  of  all  His  child- 
ren. 

Joseph  Smith  was  a  descendant,  on  both  sides  of  his  house,  of 
the  early  founders  of  New  England,  and,  indeed,  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States,  He  imbibed  from  his  progeni- 
tors a  veneration  for  God,  and  love  for  human  liberty.  Dur- 
ing his  entire  career,  he  upheld  two  great  truths  which  strongly 
characterized  the  Latter-day  Saints.  One  was,  that  all  man- 
kind should  have  the  privilege  of  worshiping  Almighty  God 
according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences,  "let  them 
worship,  how,  where,  or  what  they  may;"  the  other  was,  that 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  framed  by  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Almighty  that  rested  upon  the  patriots  who 
founded  our  government.  Throughout  life  he  maintained  this 
doctrine  by  precept  and  example,  and  impressed  his  people 
so  strongly  with  these  views,  that  they  have  become  the  house- 
hold teaching  of  parents  to  children  in  all  the  Stakes  of  Zion 
and  branches  of  the  Church. 

The  example  of  the  Prophet's  parents  taught  him  to  be  in- 
dustrious, temperate,  virtuous.  God-fearing  and  honest  in  all 
the  transactions  of  life.  Those  who  knew  him  intimately 
from  youth  to  the  time  of  his  martyrdom  in  1844,  testify  that 
these  splendid  qualities  marked  his  life  without  variation  from 
childhood  to  the  grave.  He  had  five  brothers  and  three  sisters, 
all  well  disposed,  honest,  industrious  and  upright  people. 

When  Joseph  was  about  ten  years  of  age  the  family  removed 
to  Palmyra,  New-  York,  and  four  years  later  to  Manchester 
in  the  same  county.     He  was  then  fourteen  years  of  age ;  old 


12  PROPHETS   AND  PATRIARCHS. 

enough  to  think  and  reason  for  himself.  It  was  a  time  of  re- 
lig-ious  enthusiasm,  and  Joseph  became  greatly  interested  in 
matters  of  religion.  He  began  to  Inquire  relative  to  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul.  Jn  this  condition  of  mind  he  attended  a 
joint  sectarian  revival,  held  by  Methodists,  Baptists,  Presbyte- 
rians, etc.  He  listened  attentively,  with  a  prayerful  heart, 
the  inclination  to  criticise  being  farthest  from  his  thoughts. 
During  the  proceedings  of  the  revival,  he  jjecame  keenly  im- 
pressed with  two  great  facts.  One  was,  that  while  the  various 
sects  all  professed  Christ,  they  entertained  conflicting  views 
relative  to  the  doctrines  which  Jesus  and  His  Apostles  taught 
as  being  essential  to  salvation.  The  other  important  lesson 
he  learned  was,  that  the  ministers  of  the  denominations  repre- 
sented, were  jealous  and  envious  of  each  other  in  relation  to 
the  converts  v,^hich  came  forward  and  joined  the  respective 
churches  represented  on  that  occasion.  He  concluded  that  God 
was  not  the  author  of  this  confusion,  and  that  he  could  come 
to  no  certain  knowledge  of  the  truth  from  men  preaching  con- 
flicting theories,  yet  each  saying  of  his  own  denomination, 
"This  is  the  way,  follow  me." 

Under  these  circumstances  of  uncertainty,  Joseph  betook 
himself  to  a  careful  reading  of  the  Scriptures.  His  heart 
was  prayerful.  He  was  honest  to  God  and  man.  He  wanted 
to  know  the  truth.  He  knew,  as  all  right  thinking  people 
must  know,  that  all  conflicting  creeds  could  not  be  acceptable 
to  God,  for  He  is  "not  the  author  of  confusion,"  but  of  peace 
and  perfect  order.  In  his  perusal  of  the  New  Testament,  he 
came  to  the  first  chapter  and  fifth  verse  of  James,  which  reads 
as  follows:  "If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom  let  him  ask  of  God, 
that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall 
be  given  him,"  etc. 

Joseph  was  deeply  impressed  with  this  sacred  promise.  He 
knew  that  he  lacked  wisdom.  He  could  not  obtain  that  wis- 
dom from  uninspired  men,  whose  theories  of  God  and  the 
plan  of  salvation  were  a  plain  contradiction  in  themselves. 
He  must  therefore  remain  in  darkness  or  take  the  advice  of 
the  Apostle  James  and  ask  of  God.  He  determined  to  pursue 
the  latter  course.  The  following  account  of  the  exercise  of  his 
faith  is  in  his  own  language: 

"It  was  on  the  morning  of  a  beautiful,  clear  day,   early  in 


JOSEPH   SMITH. 


14  phophets  and  patriarchs. 

the  spring  of  1820.  It  was  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  I  had 
made  such  an  attempt,  for  amidst  all  my  anxieties  I  had  never 
as  yet  made  the  attempt  to  pray  vocally.  After  I  had  retired 
into  the  place  where  I  had  previously  designed  to  go,  having 
looked  around  me,  and  finding  myself  alone,  I  kneeled  down, 
and  began  to  offer  up  the  desires  of  my  heart  to  God.  I 
had  scarcely  done  so,  when  immediately  I  was  seized  upon  by 
some  power  which  entirely  overcame  me,  and  had  such  aston- 
ishing influence  over  me  as  to  bind  my  tongue  so  that  I  could 
not  speak.  Thick  darkness  gathered  around^ne,  and  it  seemed 
to  me  for  a  time  as  if  I  were  doomed  to  sudden  destruction. 
But  exerdng  all  my  powers  to  call  upon  God  to  deliver  me  out 
of  the  power  of  this  enemy  which  had  seized  upon  me,  and  at 
the  very  moment  when  I  was  ready  to  sink  into  despnir,  and 
abandon  mj'self  to  destruction,  not  to  an  imaginary  ruin,  but 
to  the  power  of  some  actual  being  from  the  unseen  world, 
who  had  such  a  marvelous  power  as  I  had  never  before  felt  in 
any  being.  Just  at  this  moment  of  great  alarm,  I  saw  u 
pillar  of  light  exactly  over  my  head,  above  the  brightness  of  the 
sun,  which  descended  gradually  until  it  fell  upon  me.  It  no 
sooner  appeared  than  I  found  myself  delivered  from  the  enemy 
which  held  me  bound.  When  the  light  rested  upon  me,  I  saw 
two  personages,  whose  brightness  and  glory  defy  all  descrip- 
tion, standing  above  me  in  the  air.  One  of  them  spake  unto 
me,  calling  me  by  name,  and  said,  (pointing  to  the  other):  'This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  hear  Him.'  " — Pearl  of  Great  Price,  pages 
59  and  60. 

As  soon  as  Joseph  recovered  himself,  he  asked  the  personages 
Avhich,  of  all  the  denominations,  was  right.  The  answer  was 
that  none  of  them  were  right,  and  none  of  them  had  been 
founded  by  the  Almighty.  He  was  commanded  to  join  none 
of  them.  "They  teach  for  doctrine  the  commandments  of  men, 
having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  they  deny  the  power  thereof." 

This  was  his  first  vision,  and  oh,  how  glorious!  After  cen- 
turies of  spiritual  darkness,  the  heavens  are  again  opened, 
the  Father  and  the  Son  make  their  appearance  and  give 
commandments  unto  man.  Soon  after  this  glorious  vision  Jo- 
seph related  his  experience  to  a  preacher,  when,  to  his  great 
surprise,  tlie  professed  minister  treated  it  with  great  con- 
tempt,  and  like  the  Pharisees  of  old,   said  it  was  all  of  the 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  15 

devil.  But  Joseph  knew,  like  Paul,  that  he  had  seen  a  vision, 
and  he  knew  that  God  knew  it,  and  that  he  must  bear  witness 
of  it  to  the  world.  From  this  time  on,  the  youthful  Prophet 
became  the  subject  of  bitter  persecution.  Yet  he  wavered  not, 
but  faithfully  testified  that  he  had  seen  a  vision,  and  none  could 
truthfully  deny  it. 

God  has  a  right  to  show  Himself  to  whomsoever  and  when 
ever  He  pleases.  Furthermore,  Jesus  Himself  taught:  "And  no 
m'an  knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  but  the  Father;  and  who  the 
Father  is  but  the  Son.  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal 
Him."  (Lukex:22.)  Instead  then  of  such  a  manifestation  be- 
ing unreasonable  or  unscriptural,  it  was  an  actual  necessity  in 
the  establishment  of  the  "Dispensation  of  the  Fullness  of 
Times."  Joseph  kept  the  commandment  to  join  none  of  the 
sects.  He  says:  "I  continued  to  pursue  my  common  avocations 
in  life  until  the  21st  of  September,  1823,  all  the  time  suffering 
severe  persecution  at  the  hands  of  all  classes  of  men,  both  re- 
ligious and  irreligious,  because  I  continued  to  affirm  that  I  had 
seen  a  vision." — Pearl  of  Great  Price,  p.  61.  Those  who  should 
have  been  his  friends  if  they  believed  him  wrong,  instead  of 
trying  in  kindness  to  show  him  his  error,  ridiculed  him,  and 
without  reason  or  charity,  heaped  upon  him  persecution  in  va- 
rious forms. 

After  retiring  to  his  bed,  Sept.  21st,  1823,  Joseph  was  calling 
upon  God  in  all  humility  for  forgiveness  of  all  his  weaknesses 
and  imperfections,  when  suddenly  the  room  was  filled  with 
light,  and  in  the  light  appeared  a  most  glorious,  heavenly  being. 
This  personage,  said  his  name  was  Moroni,  and  that  he  was 
sent  of  God.  The  messenger  proceeded  to  inform  the  young 
man  that  he  was  chosen  of  God  to  accomplish  a  great  work  in 
the  interest  of  human  redemption,  and  that  his  name  should 
be  had  for  good  and  for  evil  among  all  nations.  This  prophecy 
has  been,  and  is  being,  remarkably  fulfilled  wherever  the  Gos- 
pel in  purity  is  preached,  and  the  name  of  Joseph  Smith  is 
known  among  the  nations.  His  name  is  cast  out  as  evil  among 
the  wicked — those  who  "love  darkness  rather  than  light;"  who 
deny  the  revelations  of  God.  But  those  who  are  honestly  seek- 
ing for  truth,  and  investigating  the  calling  of  Joseph  Smith,  are 
always  led  to  hold  his  name  for  good,  and  hand  it  down  to  pos- 
terity as  the  name  of  a  great  Prophet  of  the  Most  High. 


16  PfiOPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

The  messenger  quoted  many  passages  of  the  Bible  which  he 
said  would  be  fulfilled  in  this  dispensation,  among  them  Joel, 
chap,  ii  :28-29  ;  Mai.,  chap,  iii ;  Acts,  chap,  iii  :22-23 ;  Isaiah,  chap, 
ii,  and  said  they  were  about  to  be  fulfilled.  He  also  showed 
Joseph  where  a  book  was  deposited  in  a  hill  near  by.  It  was 
written  upon  gold  plates,  and  gave  an  account  of  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  America,  their  origin  and  destiny.  It  recorded 
the  fact  that  the  Church  of  Christ  had  been  established  among 
them,  and  that  before  and  after  Christ,  many  mighty  Prophets 
wrote  and  spoke  upon  this  continent.  Ilideed  the  ancients  of 
America  were  they  of  whom  Jesus  spoke  to  the  Jewish  Apostles 
when  He  said,  "Other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  this 
fold;  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice; 
and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  Shepherd."     St.  John  x  :16. 

The  angel  Moroni  appeared  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  three 
times  the  same  night,  repeating  each  of  his  preceding  instruc- 
tions, and  adding  to  them,  thus  preparing  the  mind  of  the 
youthful  Prophet  for  the  great  work  before  him.  These  visions 
occupied  almost  the  entire  night. 

On  September  22,  1823,  Joseph  visited  tfhe  hill  where  the 
plates  were  deposited,  and  at  once  recognized  the  place  as  the 
one  shown  him  in  vision  the  night  before.  He  says:  "On 
the  west  side  of  the  hill,  not  far  from  the  top,  under  a  stone 
of  considerable  size,  lay  the  plates  deposited  in  a  stone  box. 
The  stone  was  thick  and  rounding  in  the  middle  on  the  upper 
side,  and  thinner  toward  the  edges,  so  that  the  middle  part  of 
it  was  visible  above  the  ground,  but  the  edge  all  round  was 
covered  with  earth.  Having  removed  the  earth  and  obtained 
a  lever,  which  I  got  fixed  under  the  edge  of  the  stone,  and  with 
a  little  exertion  raised  it  up,  I  looked  in,  and  there  indeed,  did 
I  behold  the  plates,  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  and  the  breast- 
plate, as  stated  by  the  messenger.  The  box  in  which  they  lay 
was  formed  by  laying  stones  together  in  some  kind  of  cement. 
In  the  bottom  of  the  box  were  laid  two  stones  crossways  of  the 
box,  and  on  these  stones  lay  the  plates  and  the  things  with 
them.  I  made  an  attempt  to  take  them  out,  but  was  forbidden 
by  the  messenger,  and  was  again  informed  that  the  time  for 
bringing  them  forth  had  not  yet  arrived,  neither  would  it  arrive 
until  four  years  from  that  time;  but  he  told  me  that  I  should 
come  to  that  place  precisely  in  one  year  from  that  time,  and 


THE   PROPHET  JOSEPH  SMITH.  17 

that  I  should  continue  to  do  so,  until  the  time  should  come  for 
obtaining  the  plates." — Pearl  of  Great  Price,  p.  66. 

The  Prophet  obeyed  this  injunction,  and  each  successive  year, 
on  Sept.  22nd,  met  the  angel  Moroni  on  the  sacred  spot,  and 
received  from  him  many  preparatory  instructions.  The  angel 
had  told  him  previously  that  because  of  his  indigent  circum- 
stances, he  might  be  tempted  to  obtain  the  plates  for  worldly 
gain,  but  if  he  entertained  such  a  thought  he  could  not  have 
them.  They  were  to  be  published  to  all  the  world  for  the  sal- 
vation of  the  human  family  and  the  glory  of  God.  In  the 
meantime,  Joseph  and  family  being  poor,  he  was  obliged  to 
work  with  his  hands  at  daily  toil  for  a  livelihood.  He  was 
engaged  by  a  Mr.  Stoal,  of  Chenango  county,  New  York,  to  la- 
bor with  other  employes  to  develop  a  silver  mine.  From  this  cir- 
cumstance arose  the  silly  story  that  Joseph  was  a  "money 
digger."  During  his  employment  by  Mr.  Stoal,  Emma  Hale, 
daiighter  of  Isaac  Hale,  was  married  to  Joseph  on  Jan. 
IS,  1827.  On  Sept.  22nd,  1827,  he  received  the  sacred  plates 
from  which  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  translated.  The  reader 
will  find  evidence  that  such  a  record  was  to  come  forth  by 
reading  the  Eighty-fifth  Psalm,  eleventh  verse;  Isa.  chap,  xxix: 
9-12;  and.Ezekiel  chap.  xxxvii:15-21.  No  sooner  had  it  become 
known  that  he  had  received  these  plates  than  persecution  be- 
came more  intense.  Several  attempts  were  made  to  wrest 
them    from    him. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  1829,  Oliver  Cowdery  came  to  Joseph 
Smith,  having  been  led  to  him  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  This 
was  their  first  meeting.  On  April  17,  1829,  Joseph  Smith  com- 
menced the  translation  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  into  the  Eng- 
lish language.  Oliver  Cowdery  acted  as  scribe.  Joseph  trans- 
lated by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  using  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim,  an  instrument  used  by  ancient  seers  to  translate  lan- 
guages. The  following  month,  while  translating  the  plates, 
Joseph  and  Oliver  found  mentioned  the  doctrine  of  baptism  for 
the  remission  of  sins.  They  retired  to  the  woods  to  inquire  of 
the  Lord  respecting  this  subject,  when  a  messenger  from  heaven 
appeared  to  them,  laid  his  hands  upon  them  and  ordained 
them  as  follows  (May  15,  1829)  :  "Upon  you,  my  fellow-serv- 
ants, in  the  name  of  Messiah,  I  confer  the  Priesthood  of  Aaron, 
which  holds  the  keys  of  the  ministering  of  angels,  and  the 
2 


18  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

Gospel  of  repi-ntance,  and  baptism  by  immersion  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins;  and  this  shall  never  be  taken  again  from  the 
earth  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do  offer  again  an  offering  unto 
the  Lord  in  righteousness." — Pearl  of  Great  Price,  p.  10. 

This  messenger  was  John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of  the 
Messiah  in  ancient  times,  the  messenger  before  His  face  in 
latter  times.  Read  Malachi,  chap,  iii  :l-4.  He  was  the  man  who 
held  the  keys  of  the  Levitical  Priesthood,  the  authority  to  ad- 
minister in  the  outward  ordinances  of^'the  G-ospel.  He  com- 
manded them  to  baptize  each  other,  and  thus  was  established, 
in  the  last  days,  the  authority  of  God  upon  the  earth  to  bap- 
tize in  water  for  the  remission  of  sins. 

The  Prophet  Joseph  subsequently  moved  to  Pennsylvania 
and  continued,  as  circumstances  would  permit,  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  until  it  was  completed.  The  first 
edition,  consisting  of  five  thousand  copies,  was  published  to 
the  world  early  in  the  year  1830.  Since  then  the  Book 
of  Mormon  has  been  published  in  Danish,  Italian,  French, 
German,  Welsh,  Swedish,  Hawaiian  and  Spanish,  and  trans- 
lated into  other  tongues,  but  not  yet  printed.  The  progress 
in  publishing  this  sacred  volume  in  different  tongues,  points 
to  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  that  it  should  be  read  by 
the  people  of  every  nation.  During  the  translation  Joseph 
was  assisted  by  Oliver  Cowdery,  Martin  Harris,  David 
Whitmer,  his  wife,  Emma  Smith,  and  others.  While  engaged 
in  the  work  of  translation,  many  important  revelations  were 
given  to  the  Prophet,  and  many  important,  yet  trying  events, 
took  place  which  served  to  test  the  faith,  sincerity,  devotion, 
courage  and  integrity  of  this  youthful  Prophet  of  God.  All 
these  manifestations  and  the  great  work  accomplished  up  to 
1830,  took  place  before  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age.  In 
the  meantime,  himself  and  Oliver  Cowdery  had  been  visited  by 
Peter,  James  and  John,  and  received  under  their  hands  the 
Melchisedek  Priesthood,  which  holds  the  keys  to  open  the  door 
of  the  Gospel  to  all  nations  and  establish  in  fullness  the  Church 
and  kingdom  of  God  upon  the  earth. 

Before  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  translated,  Martin  Harris 
took  some  characters  copied  from  the  plates  to  Prof.  Anthon, 
a  learned  linguist  in  New  York.  The  learned  man  examined 
the  characters  and  gave  a  certificate  to  Martin  Harris,  certify- 


THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH   SMITH.  19 

ing  that  they  were  correct  characters  from  the  Egyptian,  and 
that  the  translation  wds  correct.  He  asked  Mr.  Harris  where 
Joseph  obtained  the  phites.  Upon  being  answered  that  an 
angel  of  the  Lord  delivered  them,  Prof.  Anthon  asked  for  the 
certificate  which  was  handed  him  by  Mr.  Harris.  Prof.  An- 
thon tore  it  up  in  anger,  as  he  denounced  the  ministering  of 
angels  in  this  age  of  the  world.  He  told  Mr.  Harris  to  bring 
hira  the  book  and  he  would  translate  it.  He  was  answered 
that  part  of  the  plates  were  sealed.  Upon  receiving  this  infor- 
mation the  professor  answered,  "I  cannot  read  a  sealed  book." 
liittle  did  he  think  that  in  using  these  words  he  was  fulfilling 
the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  chap,  xxix,  and  thus  presenting  to  the 
Avorld  a  testimony  of  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  From 
Prof.  Anthon  Mr.  Harris  went  to  Dr.  Mitchell,  who  also  pro- 
nounced the  characters  true  and  the  translation  correct. 

While  translating,  it  was  ascertained  that  three  especial  wit- 
nesses were  to  be  called  by  the  Lord  to  witness  the  plates  by 
the  gift  and  power  of  God.  Accordingly,  Oliver  Cowdery, 
David  Whitmer  and  Martin  Harris  were  chosen.  They  were 
shown  the  plates  by  the  same  heavenly  messenger,  Moroni,  and 
they  handled  them  with  their  hands.  Their  testimony,  ex- 
pressed in  most  solemn  terms,  is  published  to  the  world  on 
the  fly  leaf  of  each  edition  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Notwith- 
standing that  these  three  men  fell  away  from  the  Church 
through  transgression  or  neglect,  they  never,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, denied  their  solemn  testimony  of  the  divine  authen- 
ticity of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  On  the  contrary,  they  re- 
peated their  testimony  time  and  again,  and  in  their  dying 
hours,  when  soon  to  pass  to  the  great  beyond,  they  bore  witness 
that  they  had  seen  an  angel  and  the  plates  from  which  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  translated. 

In  the  spring  of  1882,  the  writer  of  this  letter,  in  company 
with  President  John  Morgan,  visited  David  Whitmer  at  his 
home  in  lliehmond.  Mo.,  and  found  him  firm  and  unflinching 
respecting  his  published  testimony  concerning  the  Book  of 
Mormon.  As  showing  how  firmly  riveted  upon  his  memory 
and  how  constant  to  this  testimony  this  man  was,  an  interest- 
ing incident  is  related  by  President  Ben  E.  Rich,  of  the 
Southern  States  Mission.  Elder  Rich  mailed  his  autograph 
Album  to  David  Whitmer  and  requested  him  to  write  therein. 


20  PROPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

without  the  slightest  suggestion  as  to  what  he  should  write. 
To  the  joyful  astonishment  of  Elder  Rich,  when  the  album  was 
returned,  it  contained  these  emphatic  words : 

"My  testimony  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  Truth." 

"DAVID  W'HITMER." 

His  associate  witnesses,  Oliver  Cowdery  and  Martin  Harris, 
were  equally  constant  to  their  obligation,  and  bore  witness 
to  tihe  end  of  their  days  that  they  saw  an  angel  and  the  plates. 
"In  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall  every  word  be 
established." 

On  Tuesday,  the  6th  day  of  April,  1830,  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  I^atter-day  Saints  was  organized  with  six  members 
in  the  house  of  Peter  Whitmer,  Sr.,  Fayette,  Seneca  county. 
New  York.  The  six  members  were  Josepli  Smith,  Oliver  Cow- 
dery, Hyrum  Smith,  Peter  Whitmer,  Jr.,  Samuel  H.  Smith 
and  David  Whitmer.  No  church  organization  could  exist  under 
the  laws  of  New  York  "with  a  less  membership  than  six. 
Joseph  Smith  was  the  chosen  head,  the  Prophet,  Seer  and 
Revelator,  and  continued  so  when  membership  increased  so 
that  the  Presidency  and  Twelve  Apostles  could  be  organized 
as  in  olden  times,  and  subsequently  Seventies,  High  Priests, 
Elders,  Bishops,  Priests,  Teachers  and  Deacons,  after  the  an- 
cient  pattern. 

The  organization  of  the  Church  brought  with  it  more  per- 
secution, and  as  it  grew  and  prospered,  Joseph's  life  was 
many  times  endangered  before  it  was  finally  taken.  Healing 
the  sick,  prophecy,  speaking  in  tongues,  and  all  the  beautiful 
gifts  in  the  primitive  Church,  attended  those  who  embraced 
the  restored  Gospel  then,  as  they  do  today,  and  always  will, 
and,  as  in  ancient  times,  were  attributed  to  Beelzebub,  the 
prince  of  devils.  On  one  occasion,  soon  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Church,  a  mob  swore  out  a  complaint  against 
the  Prophet,  charging  him  with  being  a  disorderly  person, 
because,  as  alleged,  he  set  the  country  in  an  uproar  by 
preaching  the  Book  of  Mormon,  working  miracles,  etc.  The 
constable  who  served  the  warrant,  was  honest  enough  to  inforin 
Joseph  that  the  mob  designed  to  capture  him  when  the  constable, 
with  the  prisoner,  should  pass  near  where  the  mob  was  con- 
gregated. The  constable,  however,  finding  the  Prophet  to 
be  an  honest,  upright  man,  fled  with  him  in  his  wagon,  so  that 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  21 

the  mob  failed  to  secure  their  victim.  Joseph  underwent  a  trial 
and  was  honorably  acquitted,  the  evidence  showing  that  he  was 
a  peaceable,  orderly  citizen  in  all  respects. 

As  it  would  be  impossible,  in  a  brief  article,  to  give  in  any 
detail  an  account  of  the  mobbings,  trials  and  persecutions 
through  which  this  great  man  of  God  passed,  it  may  be  well 
to  here  remark,  that  no  less  than  thirty-nine  times  was  he 
brought  before  courts  on  trumped-up  charges,  tried,  and  each 
time  honorably  acquitted,  but  still  threatened.  How  like  the 
experience  of  our  Savior !  When  Pilate  found  Him  innocent, 
the  rabble  clamored  for  His  blood,  crying  out,  "Crucify  Him, 
crucify  Him,  and  let  His  blood  be  upon  us  and  our  children !" 
How  terribly  their  words  have  fallen  upon  them.  And  in  like 
manner  the  men  who  comprised  the  mob,  and  the  conspirators 
who  brought  about  the  assassination  of  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith,  have  come  to  a  miserable  end,  having  suffered  the  wrath 
o^God  in  the  flesh. 

At  a  conference  of  the  Church,  Sept.  1,  2  and  3,  1830,  Joseph 
received  two  revelations,  found  in  Section  30  and  31,  Doctrine 
and  Covenants.  In  one  of  these  revelations,  the  Lord  com- 
manded the  Prophet  to  open  the  door  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
Lamanites  or  American  Indians,  of  whose  forefathers  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  a  record.  The  brethren  selected  to  perform 
this  great  and  important  mission  were,  Oliver  Cowdery,  Par- 
ley P.  Pratt,  Peter  Whitmer,  Jr.,  and  Ziba  Peterson.  Previous 
to  Eider  Pratt's  conversion  to  the  Gospel,  he  was  a  Campbell- 
ite  preacher,  associated  with  Sidney  Rigdon  and  others  who 
had  established  a  large  following  in  and  about  Kirtland,  Ohio. 
En  route  to  the  west,  where  they  were  destined  to  deliver  the 
glorious  message  to  the  Indians,  they  visited  Kirtland,  and 
presented  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  mission  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  to  Sidney  Rigdon  and  his  associates  of  the  Campbellite 
profession.  Sidney  Rigdon  had  never  seen  the  Prophet  Jo- 
seph Smith,  and  never  before  heard  the  proclamation  of  "Mor- 
monism."  This  fact  is  worthy  of  note,  since  the  enemies  of 
the  Saints  have  circulated  the  oft-repeated  falsehood  that  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  the  combined  production  of  Joseph  Smith 
and  Sidney  Rigdon.  It  is  also  an  interesting  fact  that  the 
Prophet  predicted  in  the  early  opening  of  this  dispensation, 
thr.t  if  the  people  would  not  receive  the  revelations  from  God 


2t2  PIIOPHETS   AND    PATRIARCHS. 

through  him,  then  Lucifer  would  give  them  revelations  to  their 
heart's  content.  Strange  to  say  what  is  now  known  as  Spir- 
itualism, was  not  known  in  the  United  States  until  after  the 
organization  of  this  Ohurch,  and  then  it  commenced  in  the 
state  of  New  York.  Today  the  spurious  revelations  of  the  ad- 
versary are  circulated  broadcast  through  clairvoyants,  medi- 
ums, etc.,  giving  no  light,  no  knowledge  of  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  eternal  life  as  enunciated  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Well  did  Isaiah  speak  of  these  days,  saving,  "And  when  they 
shall  say  unto  you.  Seek  unto  them  that  have  familiar  spirits, 
and  unto  wizards  that  peep,  and  that  mutter :  should  not  a  peo- 
ple seek  unto  their  God?  for  the  living  to  the  dead?"  Isa.  viii  :19. 
In  1831  the  Prophet  removed  to  Kirtland,  Ohio,  which  had 
now  become  the  headquarters  of  the  Church.  On  the  6th  of 
June,  in  that  year,  the  fourth  general  conference  of  the  Church 
was  held  at  Kirtland.  The  Saints  numbered  about  two  thous- 
and at  that  date,  and  were  constantly  increasing.  At  the  con- 
ference, many  Elders  were  called  by  revelation  to  go  forth,  two 
by  two,  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  baptize  as  the  Apostles  did  in 
ancient  times.  They  were  to  journey  westward,  preaching  and 
baptizing  by  the  way,  and  all  were  to  meet  in  Missouri,  where 
the  next  conference  should  be  held,  and  where,  if  they  were 
faithful,  the  Lord  would  reveal  to  the  Prophet  the  location  of 
their  promised  inheritance. 

Conforming  to  revelations  already  given,  Joseph  the  Prophet, 
accompanied  by  several  of  the  brethren,  left  Kirtland,  June 
19th,  1&31,  on  his  first  visit  to  Missouri.  He  reached  Inde- 
pendence, Missouri,  July  15th,  meeting  the  Elders  who  had 
preceded  him.  Soon  after  Joseph's  arrival  at  Independence, 
the  location  of  the  city  of  Zion  was  made  known  to  him  by 
revelation.  Before  his  return  to  Kirtland,  in  August,  1831, 
the  foundation  of  the  new  city  of  Zion  had  been  laid  and  the 
site  dedicated  for  a  temple  of  the  Lord.  About  this  time,  a 
great  stream  of  emigration  started  to  the  practically  unexplored 
regions  of  the  west. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  Kirtland,  the  Prophet  Joseph  and 
Sidney  Rigdon  retired  to  the  quiet  town  of  Hiram,  Portage 
county,  Ohio,  where  they  engaged  in  translating  the  Bible. 
Besides  this  important  labor,  the  Prophet  was  active  in  the  min- 
istry.   He  attended  several  conferences  and  was  busy  preach- 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  23 

ing  the  Gospel  in  public  and  in  private.  Meantime  persecution 
did  not  abate,  but  was  in  active  operation  both  in  Missouri 
and  Ohio.  March  25th,  1832,  Joseph  Smith  and  Sidney  Rig- 
don  were  taken  by  a  mob  and  treated  in  a  most  brutal  manner, 
^he  former  was  stripped,  covered  with  tar  and  cruelly  beaten, 
and  an  attempt  made  to  force  a  bottle  of  aqua  fortis  down  his 
throat.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  next  day  found  the  Prophet 
declaring  the  Gospel  to  a  public  congregation.  Sidney,  how- 
ever, was  delirious  for  several  days,  as  a  result  of  the  violent 
treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  the  mob. 

In  April,  1832,  Joseph  paid  a  second  visit  to  Missouri  and  was 
greatly  pained  to  learn  of  the  insults  and  injuries  being  heaped 
upon  the  Saints,  as  hostilities  had  already  begun  of  such  in* 
tensity  and  bitterness,  as  to  soon  result  in  their  complete 
expulsion  from  Jackson  county.  After  administering  words  of 
comfort  and  instructing  the  Saints,  Joseph  returned  to  Kirt- 
l^nd  In  June.  Nov.  3,  1832,  the  Prophet's  oldest  son,  Joseph, 
was  born. 

On  Dec.  25th,  1832,  Joseph  Smith  received  the  revelation 
on  war,  pointing  out  the  great  rebellion,  which  occurred  twenty- 
eight  years  later.  During  the  winter  of  1832-33  Joseph,  by 
inspiration,  organized  what  is  known  as  the  School  of  the 
Prophets,  in  which  the  Elders  of  the  Church  were  instructed  and 
edified  in  the  things  of  God.  Feb.  2,  1833,  the  Prophet  com- 
pleted the  translation  of  the  New  Testament.  July  23rd,  1833, 
under  commandment  from  the  LK)rd,  the  Prophet  and  his  asso- 
ciates laid  the  foundation  corner  stones  of  a  Temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  first  in  this  dispensation. 

March  18,  1833,  the  presidency  of  the  Church  was  first  organ- 
ized in  this  generation.  It  consisted  of  Joseph  Smith,  president, 
Sidney  Rigdon,  first  counselor,  and  Frederick  G.  Williams, 
sjecond  counselor.  On  Feb.  17,  1834,  the  High  Council  was 
organized  by  the  Prophet.  It  consisted  of  twelve  High  Priests, 
presided  over  by  the  Presidency  of  the  High  Priesthood.  This 
High  Council  is  a  pattern  of  all  High  Councils  in  the  Church, 
one  of  which  exists  in  every  Stake  of  Zion,  presided  over  by 
the  Presidency  of  the  Stake. 

On  May  5th,  1834,  Joseph  Smith,  with  one  hundred  men, 
started  for  Missouri.  Their  number  was  increased  on  the  way 
to   two   hundred    five.        This   body   of   men    is   known    in    his- 


24  PHOPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

tory  as  Zion's  Camp.  They  were  called  by  revelation.  The 
purpose  of  their  mission  was  to  carry  supplies  and  comfort 
to  the  grief-stricken,  mob-ridden  Saints  in  Missouri,  and  if 
possible,  to  influence  the  governor  to  restore  to,  and  protect  them 
in  their  rights  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  hard-earned  farm* 
and  homes.  While  en  route,  "Zion's  Camp"  encountered  many 
hardships,  and  some  of  the  brethren,  like  Israel  of  old,  mur- 
mured against  the  Prophet  of  the  Lord.  Joseph  reproved  them 
for  their  evil  conduct,  and  prophesied  ^tliat  a  scourge  would 
come  upon  the  camp.  .Tune  22,  1834,  cholera  broke  out  in  the 
camp ;  six*ty-eight  were  attacked,  thirteen  died.  Thus  was 
the  word  of  the  Lord  through  Joseph  literally  fulfilled.  Arriv- 
ing in  Missouri,  they  organized  a  Stake,  and  returned  to  Kirt- 
land  July  9th,  1834. 

In  1835  Joseph,  who  had  a  strong  desire  for  education,  es- 
tablished a  school  in  Kirtland  and  engaged  Prof.  Leixas  to 
conduct  a  class  in  Greek.  Though  Joseph,  like  the  ancient 
Prophets  and  Apostles,  was  unlearned  when  first  called,  at  the 
age  of  thirty  he  had  acquired  a  marked  proficiency  in  language, 
philosophy  and  statesmanship.  This  desire  for  education  and 
great  efforts  to  promote  the  same,  have  characterized  the  au- 
thorities of  the  Church  from  that  day  until  the  present  time. 

On  the  return  of  Zion's  Camp  from  Missouri,  the  work  on  the 
temple,  which  had  been  retarded,  was  now  prosecuted  with 
zeal  and  vigor  until  its  completion.  The  building  was  con- 
structed under  very  trying  circumstances.  Many  were  in  pov- 
erty. Persecution  was  in  progress.  The  building  cost  $70,000, 
and  was  supervised  by  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  in  addition 
to  all  his  other  duties  in  public  and  private,  at  home  and 
abroad.  It  was  three  years  in  course  of  construction  and  was 
the  first  temple  of  the  Lord  built  in  this  dispensation.  Since 
then  five  others,  more  expensive,  have  been  built  by  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints,  and  others  will  be  erected  in  these  last  days  to 
the  honor  and  glory  of  God. 

This  temple  was  dedicated  March  27th,  1836.  The  occasion 
was  a  veritable  pentecostal  feast.  Many  enjoyed  the  gifts 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  prophesied  of  things  to  come.  Subse- 
quently the  Savior  appeared  to  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver  Cow- 
dery,  also  Moses,  Elijah  and  other  ancient  Prophets  came 
in    their    order,    as    recorded    in    section    110    of    the   Doctrine 


THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH  SMITH.  25 

and  Covenants.  The  Apostles,  as  of  old,  were  endued  with 
power  from  on  high,  and  went  forth  to  the  world  with  renewed 
strength  declaring  the  glad  tidings  of  the  restored  Gospel.  Fol- 
lowing these  remarkable  manifestations,  a  wave  of  financial 
inflation  swept  over  Kirtland,  and  many  of  the  Saints  ran 
wild  in  speculations.  Many  of  the  leaders  became  infatuated 
with  the  false  spirit,  and  when  the  panic  of  1837  engulfed  the 
nation,  disaster  came  to  Kirtland.  Many  leading  men  apos- 
tatized, and  attributed  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  the  very 
evils  which  he  had  warned  them  against  and  sought  by  every 
means  in  his  power  to  avoid. 

The  Kirtland  Safety  Society  Bank  had  been  organized  by 
the  Prophet  Joseph,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Saints.  This  failed 
through  the  swindling  operations  of  subordinate  officers,  and 
many  of  the  people  were  financially  ruined.  Persecution  be- 
came violent.  Many  of  the  leading  men  became  bitter  ene- 
mies "lo  the  Prophet  of  the  Lord.  Jan.  12th,  1838,  Joseph 
Smith  and  Sidney  Rigdon  were  forced  to  flee  from  Kirt- 
land, and  an  armed  mob  followed  them  for  two  hundred 
miles,  thirsting  for  their  blood.  Joseph  with  a  body  of 
the  Church,  was  now  established  in  Missouri,  the  Saints,  on 
account  of  persecution,  migrating  thither  from  Ohio.  The 
Saints  in  Missouri  numbered  about  12,000  souls,  and  having 
been  expelled  from  their  homes  in  Jackson  county  by  furious 
mobs,  were  located  in  Caldwell,  Daviess  and  Carroll  counties, 
chiefly  in  Caldwell. 

Tn  the  midst  of  perilous  times,  and  being  continually  har- 
assed by  false  bretbren,  the  life  of  the  Prophet  must  have 
been  a  trying  one.  Only  men  of  unswerving  integrity  could 
stand  the  chastening  fire  of  persecution,  and  many  fell  by  the 
wayside,  and  joined  in  the  cry  against  the  Prophet  and  the 
Saints.  Joseph  knew  that  the  Church  of  which  he  had  the 
honor  to  be  the  earthly  head,  was  the  Church  of  God,  and  that 
the  Lord  would  preserve  it  to  the  end.  He  therefore  had  no 
need  to  pander  to  the  whims  of  men  in  order  to  retain  their 
friendship.  This  of  itself,  is  no  small  evidence  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  called  of  God.  If  he  had  been  palming  upon  the 
world  a  fraud,  he  would  have  feared  the  exposure  of  those 
who  became  disaffected,  and  would  have  used  politic  methods 
to  retain  their  good  will  for  him,  rather  than  apply  the  law  of 


26  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

justice  and  cast  them  out  of  the  Church.  The  example  of  Jo- 
seph Smith  in  dealing  with  apostates,  no  matter  how  high  in 
Church  authority  they  stood,  has  been  followed  by  his  suc- 
cessors until  the  present,  and  ever  will  be,  for  "God  is  no  re- 
spector  of  persons." 

In  Missouri,  Joseph  received  important  revelations  on  various 
items,  such  as  the  building  of  a  temple  at  Far  West,  the  law 
of  tithing,  the  mission  of  the  Apostles  abroad;  also  that  Amer- 
ica was  the  land  where  Adam  dwelt,  acxTthat  the  Garden  of 
Bden  was  where  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  now  is.  July  4th, 
1838,  the  Prophet  caused  to  be  laid  the  foundation  stones  of 
a  temple,  which,  however,  has  not  been  completed.  About  two 
days  after  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration  at  Far  West,  lightning 
struck  the  liberty  pole  and  shivered  it  to  pieces.  This  seemed 
to  be  a  warning  that  their  own  liberties  were  about  to  be 
stricken  down.  It  is  said  that  on  this  occasion,  Joseph  prophe- 
sied that  the  day  would  come,  when  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  would  hang  as  if  by  a  thread,  and  that  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  would  be  prominent  in  saving  that  instrument  from 
utter   destruction. 

Persecution  soon  reasserted  itself.  The  Latter-day  Saints 
in  Missouri  had  a  right  to  vote.  Twelve  of  them  attempted  to 
cast  their  votes  at  a  state  election  in  Gallatin,  Daviess  county, 
Aug.  Gth,  1838.  A  candidate  for  the  legislature,  William  P. 
Penistou,  made  an  inflammatory  speech  against  them,  and 
raised  a  tumult,  in  which  several  of  the  Saints  and  their 
opponents  were  wounded.  The  report  of  this  riot  was  great- 
ly exaggerated  and  spread  throughout  the  State.  Mobocracy 
followed  in  various  places.  October  25th,  1838,  while  de- 
fending themselves  against  a  mob  on  Crooked  river.  Apostle 
David  W.  Patten  and  two  other  brethren,  Gideon  Carter  and 
Patrick  O'Bannion,  were  killed.  The  power  of  the  Saints,  even 
in  a  small  degree  to  defend  themselves,  exasperated  their  ene- 
mies, and  on  Oct.  27th,  Maj.-Gen.  Clark  issued  an  order  to  the 
state  militia,  to  proceed  with  all  has*te  against  the  Mormons  and 
drive  them  from  the  state  or  to  consummate  their  extermina- 
tion. Oct.  30th,  the  frightful  massacre  of  Haun's  Mill  occurred, 
when  about  twenty  of  the  Saints,  men,  women  and  children,  were 
killed  and  thrown  in  a  heap  into  a  well  and  buried. 

About  this  time,  Col.  Hinkle  betraj'ed  the  Prophet  and  sev- 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH    SMITH.  27 

eral  of  his  associates  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  by  forming 
a  compact  with  the  latter  to  give  up  the  arms  of  the  Saints 
without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren. 
Oct.  31st,  Joseph  Smith,  Sidney  Rigdon,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Ly- 
man Wight,  George  W.  Robinson,  Hyrum  Smith  and  Amasa 
M.  Lyman  were  taken  and  treated  as  prisoners  of  war.  The 
city  was  given  into  the  hands  of  mauraders,  who  pillaged  the 
houses  and  grossly  insulted  defenseless  women  and  children. 
Joseph  and  his  brethren  were  courtmartialed,  and  ordered  to 
be  shot,  but  Gren.  Doniphan,  of  the  state  militia,  protested 
against  it  as  cold-blooded  murder.  Notwithstanding  Gen. 
Clark  had  told  the  Saints  that  they  must  never  expect  to  see 
their  leaders  again.  Joseph  prophesied  to  his  associates  that 
their  lives  would  be  spared  and  they  would  return  to  the  Saints, 
which  prediction  was  literally  fulfilled.  The  prisoners  were 
paraded  through  the  country  with  boastful  glee  on  the  part  of 
thgir  captors. 

On  one  occasion  Joseph  addressed  a  crowd  of  spectators, 
many  of  whom  were  melted  to  tears.  It  became  a  settled  con- 
viction with  his  enemies,  that  if  they  allowed  the  Prophet  to 
address  the  public,  he  would  never  fail  to  make  friends  and 
impress  the  honest  that  he  was  innocent.  So,  to  avoid  this 
impression,  the  mob,  or  officers,  who  subsequently  had  him  in 
custody,  would  try  to  prevent  him  from  speaking  to  the  peo- 
ple. Joseph  and  some  of  the  brethren  were  confined  in  Liberty 
jail.  Clay  county ;  the  remainder  in  Richmond,  Ray  county. 
While  in  their  dungeon  cell,  they  were  subjected  to  the  taunts 
and  insults  of  guards  and  officers.  One  night,  after  bearing 
all  he  could  possibly  endure  of  their  filthy  conversation,  he 
arose  in  chains,  and  with  a  voice  of  thunder  rebuked  the  guards 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  They  cowered  before  him  and  asked 
his  pardon.  So  great  was  the  power  of  God,  they  wilted  before 
Joseph  as  a  blade  of  grass  before  a  flame  of  fire. 

Parley  P.  Pratt  thus  describes  this  scene  commencing  with  the 
words  of  the  Prophet  to  the  guards :  "Silence,  ye  fiends  of  the 
infernal  pit.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  I  rebuke  you,  and 
command  you  to  be  still :  I  will  not  live  another  minute  and  hear 
such  language.  Cease  such  talk,  or  you  or  I  die  this  instant!' 
He  ceased  to  speak.  He  stood  erect  in  terrible  majesty. 
Chained  and  without  a   weapon,  calm,   unruffled  and  dignified 


28  PROPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

as  an  angel,  he  looked  upon  the  quailing  guards,  whose  weapons 
were  lowered  or  dropped  on  the  ground;  whose  knees  smote 
together,  and  who,  shrinking  into  a  corner,  or  crouching  at  his 
feet,  begged  his  pardon,  and  remained  quiet  till  a  change  of 
guards.  1  have  seen  the  ministers  of  justice,  clothed  in  mag- 
isterial robes,  and  criminals  arraigned  before  them,  while  life 
was  suspended  on  a  breath  in  the  courts  of  England;  I  have 
witnessed  a  congress  in  solemn  session  to  give  law  to  nations; 
I  have  tried  to  conceive  of  king,  of  roySI  courts,  of  thrones 
and  crowns,  and  of  emperors  assembled  to  decide  the  fate  of 
kingdoms;  but  dignity  and  majesty  have  I  seen  but  once,  as  it 
stood  in  chains,  at  midnight,  in  a  dungeon,  in  an  obscure  vil- 
lage of  Missouri."— Autobiography  of  P.  P.  Pratt,  p  229-30. 

The  brethren  in  prison  were  charged  with  murder,  treason, 
arson  and  other  crimes,  all  of  which  they  were  acquitted. 
Joseph's  enemies  considered  one  evidence  of  treason  was,  the 
belief  the  Prophet  and  his  associates  had  in  the  prophecy  of 
Daniel,  that  God  in  the  last  days  would  set  up  His  kingdom 
which  should  "subdue  all  others."  They  were  tried  in  the 
court  of  Judge  A.  A.  King.  Gen.  Doniphan,  the  attorney  for 
Joseph,  told  him  to  "offer  no  defense,  for  if  a  cohort  of  angels 
should  declare  your  innocence,  it  would  be  all  the  same.  The 
judge  is  determined  to  throw  you  into  prison." 

While  in  prison,  Joseph  received  from  the  Lord  the  glorious 
revelations  and  instructions  found  in  sections  121,  122  and  123 
of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  Mobocracy  continued.  Gov. 
Boggs  issued  his  infamous  order  to  exterminate  the  "Mor- 
mons" or  drive  them  from  the  state.  Joseph  cheered  the 
Saints  from  his  prison  cell.  He  wrote:  "Zion  shall  yet  live 
though  she  seemeth  to  be  dead." 

While  Joseph  was  in  prison,  Brigham  Young,  President  of  the 
Twelve,  planned  and  carried  into  effect  the  gathering  of  the 
Saints  from  Missouri  to  Illinois.  He  and  his  brethren  made 
a  solemn  covenant  that  they  would  never  cease  their  efforts 
until  the  Saints  were  gathered  from  Missouri.  They  kept  their 
pledge.  It  was  a  gigantic  undertaking.  Ten  thousand  Saints, 
homeless  and  almost  penniless,  compelled  to  sign  away  their 
property  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  were  to  be  gathered,  or- 
ganized in  suitable  companies,  with  proper  arrangements  and 
remove   to   another  state,   where  they   hoped   for  better   treat- 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  29 

ment.  The  exodus  was  carried  out.  Early  in  1839  found  the 
Saints  in  Iowa  and  Illinois.  Thus  was  another  prophetic  ut- 
terance finding  fulfillment. 

Joseph  Smith  once  said  that  the  Saints  would  have  first  a 
county,  then  a  state,  and  finally  a  nation  against  them.  The 
literal  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  is  strikingly  apparent  to 
those  who  know  anything  of  the  history  of  the  Church.  The 
Saints  were  driven  from  Kirtlauu,  Ohio,  from  county  after 
county  in  Missouri,  and  then  from  the  state  of  Missouri  in 
which  Gov.  Boggs,  the  chief  executive  oflScer,  took  part  by 
issuing  the  infamous  "exterminating  order,"  virtually  licensing 
the  wholesale  pillaging  and  murder  of  hundreds  of  innocent 
men,  women  and  children.  I^ater  we  see  tne  United  States 
government  sending  an  army  against  the  Saints  to  crush  an 
imaginary  rebellion,  and  later  still,  as  if  to  emphasue  the  words 
of  the  Prophet,  we  behold  the  great  government  under  which 
we  live,  confiscate  the  property  of  the  Church,  and  there  ap- 
pears on  the  supreme  court  calendar,  the  case  of  the  "United 
States  of  America  vs.  Church  of  Jesus  Cnrist  of  i^atter-day 
Saints."  Surely  no  prophecy  could  more  literally  come  true 
— yea,  it  has  been  doubly  fulfilled — than  that  relating  to  the 
nation   being  against   the   Church. 

April  22,  1839,  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  joined  their  families 
at  Quincy,  111.,  having  escaped  imprisonment  a  short  time 
previous.  Soon  after  this,  Commerce,  afterwards  named  Nau- 
voo,  by  the  Prophet,  was  selected  as  a  location  for  the  Saints. 
It  was  a  beautiful  site,  being  encircled  on  three  sides  by  a 
curve  in  the  Mississippi  river.  The  place  was  sickly  and 
many  became  prostrated  with  fever.  It  was  on  this  occasion 
that  miraculous  cases  of  healing  occurred  through  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Prophet.  He  went  from  house  to  house,  com- 
manded the  sick  to  arise  and  walk,  and  his  words  were  fol- 
lowed by  instant  healing. 

The  Twelve  had  been  called  on  missions  to  Europe,  and  were 
commanded  to  take  their  departure  from  the  temple  grounds 
in  Far  West,  April  26,  1839.  Capt.  Bogart,  a  leading  mobo- 
crat,  heard  of  the  prophecy  and  swore  that  it  should  never  be 
fulfilled.  On  the  day  named,  however,  at  1  a.  m.,  the  Twelve 
met  at  the  place  appointed,  held  a  conference,  ordained  Wilford 
Woodruff  and  George  A.  Smith  to  the  Apostleship,  and  departed 


30  PROPHETS   AND    PATRIARCH-:. 

on  their  mission,  in  fulfillment  of  the  word  of  the  Lord  through 
the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  And  here  let  it  be  said,  that  no 
prediction  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  shall  ever  fall  to  the 
ground  unfulfilled. 

Many  converts  were  made  in  England,  and  in  1840,  the  first 
company  of  Saints  from  the  shores  of  Europe  came  to  Nauvoo. 
Joseph  was  diligent  in  helping  the  Saints  to  found  themselves 
in  the  new  city.  Having  a  little  respite  from  persecution, 
himself  and  Judge  Elias  Higbee  went  ttTWashington  and  laid 
before  the  President,  Martin  Van  Buren,  a  detailed  statement, 
with  proof,  of  the  outrages  committed  against  the  Saints  in 
Missouri.  At  first  the  President  was  averse  to  hearing  them, 
then  expressed  sympathy,  and  listened,  as  well  as  inviting  the 
Prophet  to  explain  his  views  of  the  Gospel,  which  he  did.  At 
a  later  visit,  the  President  showed  signs  of  political  cowardice, 
and  after  listening  impatiently  to  the  recital  of  their  suffer- 
ings, he  made  the  reply,  previously  quoted  in  part :  "Your  cause 
is  just,  but  I  can  do  nothing  for  you ;  and  if  I  take  up  for  you  I 
shall  lose  the  vote  of  Missouri."  The  Prophet  concluded 
promptly  that  President  Van  Buren  was  an  "oflSce-seeker ;  that 
self-aggrandizement  was  his  ruling  passion,  and  that  justice  and 
righteousness  were  no  part  of  his  composition." 

Joseph  remained  in  the  east  during  the  winter,  making  the 
acquaintance  of  leading  political  men  of  the  nation.  He  re- 
cited to  several  the  sufferings  of  the  Saints.  To  this  recital 
John  C.  Calhoun  said:  "It  involves  a  nice  question — the  ques- 
tion of  state's  rights;  it  will  not  do  to  agitate  it."  Henry  Clay 
said:  "You  had  better  go  to  Oregon."  Such  answers  were 
too  inconsistent  and  unreasonable ;  too  cowardly,  to  afford  any 
hope  of  redress  from  the  hands  of  the  men  who  made  them. 
The  Prophet  returned  home  to  Nauvoo  March  4,  1840.  During 
his  absence  he  preached  the  Gospel  to  large  audiences  in  Wash- 
ington and  in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania. 

Nauvoo  had  been  growing  under  the  direction  of  Hyrum 
Smith,  the  ever-faithful  brother  to  the  Prophet.  The  popula- 
tion numbered  near  three  thousand  and  contained  three  ec- 
clesiastical wards.  The  Latter-day  Saints  again  asserted  their 
political  rights,  and  with  this  came  persecution  as  bitter  as 
heretofore.  Gov.  Boggs,  of  Missouri,  demanded  of  Grov.  Car- 
lin.  of  Illinois,  the  arrest  of  the  Prophet  on  the  ground  of  his 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  31 

being  a  fugitive  from  justice.  The  demand  was  rejected,  but 
this  only  exasperated  the  Missourians,  who  subsequently  took 
an  active  part  in  persecuting  the  Prophet  and  his  associates. 
In  the  winter  of  1840-41,  the  Illinois  legislature  granted  a  very 
liberal  charter  to  the  city  of  Nauvoo.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  a 
member  of  the  legislature  which  granted  it.  It  included  the 
establishment  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  a  military  body,  and  the 
University  of  Nauvoo.  Feb.  1,  1841,  it  went  into  effect,  and 
shortly  thereafter  Joseph  became  the  lieutenant-general  of  the 
Nauvoo  Legion. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  1841,  the  comer  stones  of  the  Nauvoo 
Temple  were  laid.  Joseph  called  upon  the  Saints  in  the  regions 
round  about  to  gather  into  Nauvoo  and  assist  in  the  erection 
of  this  sacred  edifice.  The  Saints  responded  with  great  energy 
to  this  call,  and  flocked  into  the  city  from  all  directions.  Nau- 
voo grew  with  almost  magic  speed.  Brigham  Young  and  the 
TwLelve,  on  their  return  from  England,  greatly  aided  in  its 
growth.  The  population  before  the  Prophet's  martyrdom  had 
increased  to  20,000.  In  1842  prosperity  abounded  in  Nauvoo. 
This  year  the  Prophet  wrote  for  publication  an  account  of  the 
•coming  forth  of  this  great  work.  This  included  the  Articles 
of  Faith  now  printed  upon  cards  and  distributed  by  the  Elders 
among  all  nations  where  the  Gospel  is  being  preached.  The 
Church  paper  was  edited  by  the  Prophet,  and  was  called  the 
Times  and  Seasons.  Through  this  medium  he  published  many 
profound  truths  which  the  Lord  had  revealed  to  him.  Many 
embraced  the  Gospel.  The  population  increased,  and  Nauvoo 
was  rapidly  becoming  a  city  of  importance. 

Notwithstanding  this  wonderful  growth,  and  the  peace  en- 
joyed, the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  ever  alivo  in  this  great  Prophet, 
gave  him  premonitions  of  the  sore  tribulations  which  Avere 
soon  to  follow.  March  17,  1842,  Joseph  organized  the  Relief 
Society,  now  so  famed  in  the  Church  as  the  organization 
through  which  our  devoted  mothers  administer  so  much  com- 
fort and  help  to  the  poor,  the  sick  and  the  needy.  At  a  funeral 
sermon  preached  by  the  Prophet  April  9th,  1842,  Joseph  fore- 
shadowed his  own  death  by  saying,  that  he  had  now  no  prom- 
ise of  life  and  was  subject  to  death.  He  said  the  Lord  had 
promised  him  life  at  different  times  until  certain  things  should 


32  PROPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

be  accomplished.  "But  having  now  done  these  things,  I  have 
no  longer  any  lease  of  my  life.  I  am  as  liable  to  die  as  other 
men." 

In  1842  Joseph  uttered  the  following  remarkable  prophecy  in 
Montrose,  Iowa,  which  he  recorded  as  follows :  "I  prophesied, 
that  the  Saints  would  continue  to  suffer  much  affliction, 
and  would  be  driven  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Many  would 
apostatize,  others  would  be  put  to  death  by  our  persecutors,  or 
lose  their  lives  in  consequence  of  e:!^p0sure  and  disease;  and 
some  would  live  to  go  and  assist  in  making  settlements  and 
building  cities,  and  see  the  Saints  become  a  mighty  people  in 
the  midst  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.''  Every  provision  of  this 
prophecy  has  been  remarkably  fulfilled. 

Apostates  began  to  plot  the  destruction  of  Joseph's  life.  John 
C.  Bennett,  a  vile  man,  possessing  ability  without  character, 
but  whose  perfidy  was  not  detected  until  he  had  been  crowned 
with  honor  among  the  Saints,  had  rendered  valuable  service 
in  obtaining  the  Nauvoo  charter.  He  was  elected  mayor  of 
Nauvoo,  chosen  chancellor  of  the  university  and  major-general 
of  the  Legion.  He  planned  to  have  the  Prophet  iviiled  in  a 
sham  battle  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  but  failed.  He  uttered 
many  falsehoods  against  the  Prophet,  both  to  shield  his  own 
iniquity  and  to  encompass  the  death  of  the  Prophet.  He  wrote 
a  vile  ))ook  against  Joseph  and  the  Saints,  made  up  of  gross 
misstatements.  This  greatly  increased  the  prejudices  against  the 
Prophet  among  the  thousands  who  did  not  wish  to  investigate 
and  know  the  truth.  Elders  were  sent  out  to  refute  these  slan- 
ders, and  accomplished  much  good  among  the  honest  at  heart. 
The  old  Missouri  batred  was  still  kept  burning  in  that  state. 
Some  one  had  attempted,  it  was  claimed,  to  assassinate  Gov. 
Boggs  at  Independence.  It  was  falsely  laid  to  the  "Mormons." 
Grov.  Boggs  demanded  of  the  governor  of  Illinois  the  person  of 
Joseph  Smith  on  the  charge  of  his  being  an  accessory  to  the 
attempted  murder  before  the  crime.  He  and  O.  P.  Rockwell 
were  arrested  Aug.  8th,  1842,  but  discharged  after  a  hearing 
before  the  municipal  court  of  Nauvoo.  Other  attempts  were 
made  to  arrest  him  under  false  pretenses.  He  concluded  to 
go  into  hiding  for  a  short  time.  While  hidden,  he  wrote  the 
important  letters  to  the  Saints  on  the  redemption  of  the  dead, 
found  in  sections  127  and  128  of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants. 


THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  33 

Thomas  Ford  became  governor  of  Illinois  in  December,  1842. 
Joseph  applied  to  him  for  a  withdrawal  of  the  writs  issued 
against  him  by  Gov.  Carlin.  After  a  judicial  investigation 
this  was  done. 

In  February,  1843,  the  population  of  Nauvoo  was  again  aug- 
mented by  a  company  of  Saints  from  Europe,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Elders  P.  P.  Pratt,  Lorenzo  Snow  and  Levi  Richards. 
In  June,  1843,  other  attempts  were  made  to  drag  the  Prophet 
back  to  Missouri.  Dr.  Bennett  was  the  chief  instigator  of  this 
scheme.  Politicians  stirred  up  strife  against  the  Saints,  and 
recommended  the  repeal  or  restriction  of  the  Nauvoo  charter. 
They  pretended  to  be  alarmed  at  the  increase  of  "Mormon" 
power.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  "Mormon"  power,  in  politics  or  re- 
ligion, has  never  been  wielded  to  deprive  or  restrict  any  human 
being  of  their  rights  in  the  least  degree.  "Mormons"  elected 
to  oflice  were  threatened  with  mobocracy  ^^hen  attempting  to 
qualify,  at  the  county  seat,  Carthage.  Tho  anti-"Mormon" 
party  renewed  their  pledges  to  fight  the  "Mormon'=?,"  and  the  mob 
began  to  burn  the  homes  and  property  of  the  Saints  in  outlying 
districts  of  Nauvoo.  When  the  governor  was  appealed  to  for 
protection,  his  answer  was  an  indication  of  his  cowardice  or 
his  sympathy  with  the  mob  element.  He  simply  told  the  Saints 
they  must  protect  themselves.  During  these  times  of  trouble 
Joseph  addressed  letters  to  several  prominent  men  in  the  na- 
tion who  had  presidential  aspirations.  He  propounded  to  them 
this  question:  "What  will  be  your  rule  of  action  relative  to 
us  as  a  people,  should  fortune  favor  your  ascension  to  the  chief 
magistracy?"  Only  two  answered,  as  previously  shown, 
Henry  Clay  and  John  C.  Calhoun,  and  their  answers 
were  so  non  -  committal  or  evasive  that  Joseph  considered 
the  writers  cowardly,  or  lacking  in  moral  force.  Soon 
after,  strange  and  startling  as  it  sounded  then,  Joseph  Smitb 
announced  himself  a  candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  nominated  Jan.  29th,  1844,  and  duly  sustained 
at  a  state  convention  on  the  17th  of  the  following  May.  Soon 
after  this  he  published  his  views  in  plain  terms,  on  the  "Powers 
and  Policy  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States."  In  this 
document  he  defined  his  position  on  the  live  political  questions 
of  the  day.  He  favored  abolition  of  slavery,  the  slave  holders 
to  be  paid  for  their  slaves  by  the  general  government,  the 
3 


34  PROPHETS   AND    PAt^RIARCHS. 

money  to  be  raised  by  reducing  the  salary  of  congressmen 
and  by  the  sale  of  public  lands;  the  abolition  of  imprisonment 
for  debt  and  for  all  crimes  but  murder;  work  on  public  enter- 
prises to  be  the  penalty  for  other  crimes,  and  to  make  the  pris- 
ons schools  of  learning;  the  investment  of  power  in  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  to  furnish  troops  for  the  suppression 
of  mobs;  the  extension  of  the  United  States  from  sea  to  sea, 
with  the  consent  of  the  Indians. 

Many  other  excellent  features  apiJeared  in  his  platform. 
If  his  position  on  the  slave  question  had  been  carried  out,  it 
would  have  saved  the  nation  a  million  lives,  preserved  thous- 
ands from  being  crippled,  and  protected  the  happy  homes  of  a 
million  people  from  widowhood,  averted  the  cries  of  more  than 
a  million  fatherless  children,  and  saved  to  the  nation  many 
millions  of  treasure  and  property  less  valuable  than  human 
life.  Joseph  prophesied  of  the  war  twenty-eight  years  before 
it  came,  and  that  it  should  result  in  the  death  and  misery  of 
many  souls.  That  Joseph  Smith  was  a  Prophet  of  God,  is  writ- 
ten in  letters  of  blood  and  by  the  tears  of  millions  who  suf- 
fered from  that  fratricidal  war.  The  Twelve  and  other  lead- 
ing Elders  went  to  the  eastern  states  to  promulgate  his  views. 
It  is  not  probable  for  a  moment,  that  the  Prophet  had  any 
faith  in  winning  the  presidential  election.  Neither  had  he 
aspirations  for  the  honors  of  men.  Other  considerations  were 
in  view.  His  people  had  been  traduced  and  misrepresented. 
His  candidacy  furnished  an  opportunity  to  explain  his  views, 
to  enlighten  the  public  mind  respecting  the  Latter-day  Saints, 
and  to  leave  on  record,  propositions  to  the  nation  which,  if  ac- 
cepted, would  save  the  nation  life  and  treasure.  He  wrote  at 
that  time :  "I  feel  it  to  be  my  right  and  privilege  to  obtain  what 
influence  and  power  I  can  lawfully  in  the  United  States  for 
the  protection  of  injured  innocence ;  and  if  I  lose  my  life  in  a 
good  cause,  I  am  willing  to  be  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  virtue, 
righteousness  and  truth,  in  maintaining  the  laws  and  constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States,  if  need  be,  for  the  general  good  of 
mankind." 

Joseph,  with  a  little  band  of  pioneers,  started  on  an  expedi- 
tion to  explore  the  Rocky  Mountains,  to  find  a  resting  place 
for  the  Saints,  but  was  turned  back.  He  was  destined  to  seal 
his  testimony  with  his  blood.    On  July  12th,  1843,  Joseph  bad 


TITE^  PROPHET  JOSEPH   SMITH.  o5 

recorded  the  revelation  on  celestial  marriage,  found  in  section 
182,  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  In  the  spring  of  1844  the  situa- 
tion in  Nauvoo  became  very  bitter.  The  Laws,  Higbees  and 
Fosters  plotted  the  overthrow  of  the  Prophet.  William  Law 
was  his  counselor,  and  of  course  knew  of  Joseph  receiving  and 
privately  teaching  the  doctrine  of  plural  marriage.  He  had 
Joseph  arrested  on  a  charge  of  polygamy,  but  failed  to  obtain  a 
conviction.  The  apostates  then  started  a  newspaper  called  the 
Expositor,  through  which  they  circulated  the  basest  false- 
hoods imaginable,  and  thus  inflamed  still  more  intensely  the 
public  mind.  The  city  was  shocked  at  the  publication.  The 
city  council  was  called  together.  Joseph  Smith  was  the  mayor. 
The  Expositor  was  declared  a  nuisance  and  was  utterly  de- 
stroyed June  11th,  1844,  by  order  of  the  mayor.  The  proprie 
tors  left  the  city  and  immediately  planned  the  arrest  of  the 
Prophet  and  others  on  a  charge  of  riot.  The  latter  had  a 
bearing  and  were  acquitted.  The  mob  was  furious  and  gath- 
ered in  large  numbers  around  Nauvoo,  swearing  vengeance  on 
the  people  and  their  leaders.  Joseph,  as  mayor,  declared  the 
city  under  martial  law,  and  called  out  the  Legion  to  defend 
it.  The  governor,  hearing  of  this  and  being  weak  and  vacil- 
lating, went  at  the  head  of  the  militia  to  Nauvoo,  and  demand- 
ed that  the  Prophet  come  to  Carthage  for  trial  for  the  de- 
struction cf  the  Expositor,  and  that  martial  law  be  abolished 
in  Nauvoo.  His  orders  were  strictly  obeyed.  The  governoi 
pledged,  in  a  most  solemn  manner,  his  honor  and  the  faith  of 
the  state  that  the  prisoners  should  be  defended  against  mob 
violence,  and  should  have  a  fair  and  impartial  trial.  This 
pledge  was  repeated,  but  never  kept.  Undoubtedly  the  Prophei 
felt  that  his  withdrawal  from  Nauvoo  would  be  a  safeguard 
for  the  Saints,  for  he  loved  them  more  than  life  itself.  He 
remarked  just  before  leaving  Nauvoo:  "I  am  going  like  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  but  I  am  calm  as  a  summer  morning.  I  have 
a  conscience  void  of  ofi:'ense  toward  God  and  toward  all  men. 
If  they  take  my  life  I  shall  die  an  innocent  man,  and  my  blood 
shall  cry  from  the  ground  for  vengeance,  and  it  shall  yet  be 
said  of  me,  'he  was  murdered  in  cold  blood.'  "  His  prophecj 
has  been  literally  fulfilled. 

The  Nauvoo  Legion  gave  up  their  arms  by  command  of  Gov. 
Ford,    who    again    promised    them    protection.    Joseph    Smith, 


6b  PROPHETS  AND   PATRIARCHS. 

Hyrum   Smith,  John  Taylor  and   Willard   Richards  were  con- 
fined in  Carthage  jail,  and  on  the  fatal  27th  day  of  June,  1844, 
were  placed  in  an  upper  room  of  that  building.     About  5  o'clock 
in   the  afternoon  an  armed  mob  of  the  state  militia,  assisted 
by  other  murderous  fiends  in  human  shape,  in  all  about  two. 
hundred  strong,  burst  in  fury  upon  the  jail  and  murdered  in 
cold  blood,  the  Prophet  and  his  brother  Hyrum.     Elder  Taylor 
was  cruelly  wounded  with  four  bullets,   while  Elder  Richards 
escaped  unharmed.    While  this  inhuniair  tragedy  was  being  en- 
acted, Gov.  Ford  was  in  Nauvoo,  haranguing  the  peaceful,  un- 
armed Saints  on  the  enormity  of  destroying  the  printing  press 
of  the  Expositor.       The  governor  undoubtedly  knew  the  inten- 
tion of  the  mob,  for  he  had  heard  their  threats  that  the  Prophet 
should  never  escape  alive.    A  day  or  two  before  his  martyr- 
dom,  while  being  exhibited  among  the  militia,   as  if  he  were 
something  monstrous,  the  Prophet  asked  one  of  the  officers  if 
he  could  see  anything  bad  in  his  countenance.    The  officer  an- 
swered:   "No,  Gen.   Smith,  but  I  cannot  see  what  is  in  your 
heart."    The  Prophet  promptly  retorted:    "But  I  can  see  what 
is  in  your  heart,  and  if  you  are  suffered  to  shed  my  blood  you 
will  see  bloodshed  prevail  in  this  land  to  your  heart's  content." 
The  testament  of  this  great  and  last  dispensation  was  sealed 
by  the  blood  of  tlie  testator,  and  is  in  force  upon  all  the  world. 
When  we  review  the  life  of  Joseph  Smith,  w^e  are  compelled 
to  exclaim  :    In  the  hands  of  God  he  was  a  mighty  man !      Next 
to  the  Savior,  Joseph  Smith  was  as  great  a  Prophet  as  ever 
lived.    At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  saw  God  the  Father  and  our 
Savior  Jesus   Ohrist.    He  beheld   them   face  to   face,   and  he 
heard  the  voice  of  each.     At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  saw  an 
angel   of   the   Lord   on   four  different   occasions.    He   saw   the 
ancient  records  of  the  people  of  God  on  the  Western  Hemis- 
phere.   When  twenty-two  years  old  he  bad  been  visited  by  the 
same   angel-Prophet  eight  different  times,   and   on  each   occa- 
sion instructed  by  him.    At  this  age  also  he  received  the  golden 
plates.    In   his   twenty-fourth    year    he    published    this    record 
to  the  world,  received  a  visitation  from  John  the  Baptist,  and 
obtained    the    Aaronic    Priesthood    under    his    hands.    At    the 
same  age  Peter,  James  and  John  came  and  laid  their  hands 
upon  his  head,   bestowing  the  keys  of  the   kingdom  of  God, 
which  they  liad  received  from  the  Savior  over  eighteen  hun- 
dred   years    before.         He    also    heard    the    voice    of    Michael. 


THE   PBOPHET   JOSEPH   SMITH.  37 

In  his  twenty-fifth  year  he  organized  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
work  so  great  that  it  will  yet  fill  the  earth.  When  thirty-one 
years  old,  he  had  founded  and  builded  a  temple  to  the  Lord, 
and  in  it,  had  seen  th«  Savior,  Moses,  Elijah  and  other 
ancient  Prophets  of  the  living  God.  He  selected  the  site  of 
four  temples  of  the  Lord,  saw  one  completed  and  another  well 
on  its  way  before  his  martyrdom.  Before  he  was  thirty-five 
years  of  age,  ha  had  been  the  prime  mover  in  laying  the  foun- 
dation and  helping  to  build  several  important  towns  in  the  trav- 
els of  the  Saints.  At  thirty-seven  he  organized  a  militia,  of 
which  he  was  lieutenant-general ;  established  a  university  of 
learning ;  set  on  foot  the  gathering  of  Israel,  and  previous  to 
this  and  before  his  assassination,  saw  thousands  gathered  from 
various  States  of  the  Union,  Canada  and  Great  Britain.  The 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  died  a  martyr  at  thirty-nine  years  of  age, 
iiavihg  received  in  his  life-time  over  one  hundred  twenty-five  rev- 
elations from  God,  which  he  caused  to  be  written,  besides  the 
volumes  of  unwritten  inspiration  which  found  their  expression 
in  prophecy,  healing  the  sick,  casting  out  devils,  interpreting 
tongues  and  translating  the  Scriptures  of  divine  truth.  His 
prophecies  are  many,  both  written  and  unwritten.  Many  have 
been  filled,  none  have  failed,  and  when  the  wheels  of  time 
shall  bring  the  remainder  due,  every  jot  and  tittle  shall  be  ful 
filled,  for  it  was  God  who  spake  through  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith.  He  loved  his  God,  his  religion,  his  country  and  all 
mankind.  For  them  he  lived  and  suffered;  for  them  he  died; 
and  future  generations,  when  the  cobwebs  of  sectarian  ignor- 
ance, bigotry  and  prejudice,  with  "the  refuge  of  lies"  shall 
have  been  swept  away,  will  do  him  ju^ice,  and  acknowledge 
him  as  being  a  statesman,  a  philosopher,  a  philanthropist, 
a  colonizer,  an  educator,  a  pioneer,  and  indeed  a  mig'aty 
Prophet  of  the  living  God.  Well  did  Josiah  Quincy,  the  his- 
torian, a  uon-"Mormon,"  say  of  the  Prophet,  whom  he  visited 
at  Nauvoo  May  15th,  1844 :  "It  is  by  no  means  improbable 
that  some  future  text  book,  for  the  use  of  generations 
yet  unborn,  will  contain  a  question  something  like  this : 
'What  historical  American  of  the  nineteenth  century  has 
exerted  the  most  powerful  influence  upon  the  destinies  of 
his  countrymen?'  and  it  is  by  no  means  impossible  that  the 
answer  to  that  interrogatory  may  be  thus  written:  'Joseph 
Smith,  the  Mormon  Prophet.'  " 


PATRIARCH  HYRUM  SMITH. 

This  great  and  good  man  was  born  at  Tunbridge,  Vermont, 
Feb.  9th,  1800.  He  was  an  elder  brother  of  the  Prophet,  Jo- 
seph Smith.  He  was  a  boy  with  a  prayerful  heart  and  later,  a 
man  of  God,  as  true  as  this  generation  or  any  other  has  pro- 
duced. Like  the  rest  of  the  family,  he  was  inured  to  hard  labor, 
amid  circumstances  of  privation  with  little  opportunity  for  edu- 
cation. He  moved  with  his  father  and  family  to  Western  New 
York,  and  when  Joseph,  his  brother,  announced  his  visions  and 
revelations  to  his  father's  family,  Hyrum  at  once  received  his 
testimony  and  espoused  the  cause  with  Joseph,  becoming  to  him, 
probably,  the  nearest,  truest  and  best  friend  he  had  among 
men.  Not  that  scores  of  others  lacked  in  their  integrity  and 
love  for  the  Prophet,  for  many  would  gladly  have  died  for  him 
at  any  time,  but  Hyrum  was  a  brother  in  the  flesh,  and 
knew  Joseph  better  from  childhood  to  the  hour  of  their 
martyrdom  than  any  other  man  and,  consequently,  under  every 
circumstance,  was  better  qualified  to  sympathize  and  confer  a 
brother's  love  than  other  men.  At  the  age  of  twenty- six 
(Nov.  2,  1826),  Hyrum  married  Jerusha  Barden,  who  shared 
with  him  his  trials  the  remainder  of  her  life,  and  bore  to 
him  six  children,  Lovina,  Mary,  John,  Hyrum,  Jerusha  and 
Sarah.  Most  of  them  are  now  deceased,  but  his  son  John  has 
been  for  many  years  the  Patriarch  of  the  Church,  and  re- 
sides in  Salt  Lake  City.  The  office  of  Presiding  Patriarch  de- 
scends to  the  first  born  of  the  family  from  father  to  son,  pro- 
vided always  that  the  son  is  worthy  to  inherit  this  holy  call- 
ing, and  let  it  here  be  said  and  remembered  by  all  the  Saints 
in  every  generation,  that  no  better,  nobler,  purer  man  than 
Hyrum  Smith,  could  have  been  chosen  to  receive  this  Holy 
Patriarchal  Priesthood.  May  the  claim  of  his  generations  to 
whom  this  office  shall  descend,  never  find  within  it  a  weak  or 
broken    Tnk ! 

In  May,  1820,  while  the  work  of  translating  the  Book 
of     Mormon     was     in     process,     while     Hyrum     Smith     and 


HYRUM   SMITH. 


40 


PROPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 


several  others  were  rejoicing  in  the  dispensation  opening  to 
the  world,  about  the  time  that  John  the  Baptist  came  and 
restored  the  keys  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  the  Lord  gave 
a  revelation  through  Joseph  to  Hj^rum  Smith.  In  it  he  com- 
manded Hyrum  to  "seek  to  bring  forth  and  establish  the  cause  . 
of  Zion.  Seek  not  for  riches,  but  for  wisdom,  and  behold,  the 
mysteries  of  God  shall  be  unfolded  unto  you,  and  then  shall 
you  be  made  rich;  behold,  he  that  hath  eternal  life  is  rich. 
*  *  *  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  youf^will  impart  unto  you 
of  My  Spirit ;  which  shall  enlighten  your  mind ;  which  shall 
fill  your  soul  -wnth  joy.  *  *  *  Behold,  I  command  you  that 
you  need  not  suppose  that  you  are  called  to  preach  until  you 
are  called.  *  *  *  Seek  not  to  declare  My  word,  but  first 
seek  to  obtain  My  word,  and  then  shall  your  tongue  be  loosed; 
then  if  you  desire,  you  shall  have  My  Spirit  and  My  word  ; 
yea,  the  jwwer  of  God  unto  the  convincing  of  men."  These 
and  many  other  glorious  instructions  are  found  given  to  Hyrum 
in  Section  11  of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  The  truths, 
admonitions,  instructions,  doctrines  and  promises  therein  re- 
vealed, were  accepted  by  Hyrum  in  all  sincerity,  and  he  was 
guided  by  them  and  true  to  them  to  the  last  moment  of  his 
earthly  existence.  His  travels,  labors  and  experiences  in  detail 
scarcely  need  be  related  here,  because  they  are  so  closely  inter- 
woven with  the  history  of  the  Church  and  that  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph,  as  to  be  almost  identical.  On  the  13th  of  Oct.,  1837,  his 
wife,  pJerusha,  died.  This  was  during  the  persecutions  and 
hardships  entailed  upon  the  Saints  in  Missouri.  Subsequently 
he  married  Mary  Fielding,  by  whom  he  had  two  dhildren, 
Joseph  F.  and  Martha,  the  former  being  now  the  President  of 
the  Church. 

In  June,  1829,  Hyrum  Smith  was  baptized  by  his  brother 
Joseph,  in  Seneca  Lake.  He  was  one  of  the  eight  witnesses 
permitted  to  view  the  plates  from  which  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon was  translated.  He  was  also  one  of  the  six  members 
who  went  to  constitute  the  organization  of  the  Churdh,  April 
Gth,  1830.  His  name  stands  as  a  living  witness  of  the  exist- 
ence of  those  sacred  plates  which  give  to  the  world  the  his- 
tory of  the  Gospel  upon  the  "Western  Hemisphere.  At  a  con- 
ference assembled  in  Far  West,  Missouri,  Hyrum  was  chosen 
and  sustained  as  second   Counselor  in  the  Presidency  of  the 


PATRIARCH    HYRUM   SMITH.  41 

Church  instead  of  Frederick  G.  Williams,  who  was  rejected 
on  Jan.  19th,  1841.  The  Lord,  through  the  Prophet  Joseph, 
then  revealed  the  following  Doctrine  and  Covenant,  Section 
124:  "And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  blessed  is  My  serv- 
ant, Hyrum  Smith,  for  I,  the  Lord,  love  him  because  of  the 
integrity  of  his  heart,  and  because  he  loveth  that  which  is 
right  before  Me,  saith  the  Lord."  What  greater  blessing  can 
man  attain  to  than  to  know  that  God  loves  him,  not  simply  be- 
cause of  a  Heavenly  Father's  love  for  all  His  offspring,  but 
because  the  individual  is  right  in  heart  and  works  before  the 
Lord.  Surely  such  approval  in  this  life  must  be  as  Eternal 
Life  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  hereafter.  In  the  same  revel- 
ation, the  Lord  said :  "That  My  Servant,  Hyrum  Smith,  may 
take  the  office  of  Priesthood  and  Patriarch,  which  was  ap- 
pointed unto  him  by  bis  Father,  by  blessing  and  also  by  right. 
That  from  henceforth  he  shall  hold  the  keys  of  the  Patriarchal 
blessings  -  upon  the  heads  of  all  My  people,  that  whoever  he 
blesses  shall  be  blessed,  and  whoever  he  curses  shall  be 
cursed;  that  w^hatsoever  he  shall  bind  on  earth  ^hall  be  bound 
in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  he  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be 
loosed  in  heaven;  and  from  this  time  forth  I  appoint  unto 
him  that  he  may  be  a  Prophet,  and  a  Seer,  and  a  Revelator  unto 
My  Church,  as  well  as  My  servant,  Joseph ;  that  he  may  act 
in  concert  also  with  My  servant,  Joseph,  and  that  he  shall 
receive  counsel  from  My  servant,  Joseph,  who  shall  show  unto 
him  the  keys  whereby  he  may  ask  and  receive,  and  be  crowned 
with  the  same  blessing  and  glory  and  honor  and  Priesthood 
and  gifts  of  the  Priesthood,  that  once  were  put  upon  him 
that  was  my  servant,  Oliver  Cowdery ;  that  my  servant  Hy- 
rum may  bear  record  of  all  things  which  I  shall  show  unto 
him,  that  his  name  may  be  had  in  honorable  remembrance 
from  generation  to  generation,  forever  and  ever."  Thus  by 
revelation  direct  from  heaven  were  keys,  powers  and  author- 
ity, conferred  upon  Hyrum  equal  to  which  but  few  men  in  the 
history  of  this  world  have  ever  enjoyed.  He  was  a 
man  of  exceeding  great  love,  forbearance  and  kindness.  He 
was  not  hasty.  No  personal  antipathy  was  ever  allowed  a 
place  in  his  heart  toward  any  human  being,  nor  even  to  the  vil- 
est thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth.  His  power  to  bless 
was  never   idle ;    his  authority   to   curse,   he   shuddered   at   th.? 


42  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

thought  of  exercising.  When  one  of  the  brethren  in  the  heat 
of  trouble  in  Missouri  forsook  the  Prophet  Joseph,  and  said 
false  things  against  him,  whereby  he  forfeited  his  calling, 
Hyrum  Smith  went  to,  and  sought  to  turn  the  wayfaring  man 
from  his  error.  Apostle  John  Taylor  said  that  he  (Elder 
Taylor)  had  it  in  his  heart  to  try  to  save  the  rebellious  brother, 
but  said  when  he  heard  that  Hyrum  Smith  had  gone  before  him 
on  the  same  errand,  it  was  useless  for  him  to  try  if  Brother 
Hyrum  should  fail.  When  Sidney  Rigdon  failed  in  his  love  for 
Joseph  and  devotion  to  the  work  of  God,  and  Joseph  felt  to  drop 
him  from  the  Presidency,  Hyrum,  in  his  great  mercy  and  his 
abhorrence  at  the  thought  of  one  making  shipwreck  of  his  faith, 
pleaded  with  Joseph  to  bear  longer  with  Sidney.  Joseph  said : 
"If  my  brother  Hyrum  and  the  people  want  to  carry  Elder 
Rigdon  any  longer  they  may,  but  I  cannot."  Hyrum's  mercy 
prevailed,  although  the  Prophet  was  right  in  his  judgment, 
for  Elder  Rigdon  was  ungrateful  for  the  mercy  extended  and 
soon  fell  aside.  During  all  the  trials  to  which  the  Prophet 
was  subjected,  his  faithful  brother  Hyrum  shared  with  him 
therein.  They  were  imprisoned  together  in  Liberty  jail,  had 
been  courtmartialed  and  sentenced  to  be  shot  together  by  a  mob 
militia  at  Far  West.  Together  they  started  on  an  exploration 
tour  to  the  west  and  when  they  returned,  they  went  together 
to  Carthage  jail  to  be  offered  as  living  witnesses  that  God  had 
restored  the  Gospel  in  these  last  days.        , 

At  the  time  of  his  death  he  held  various  offices,  military 
and  civil,  and  had  always  been  useful  on  committees  in  build- 
ing the  Nauvoo  house,  Kirtland  Temple,  and  in  every  way  was 
a  most  capable  and  public  spirited  man.  He  was  for  the 
cause  of  Zion  incessantly.  It  was  his  whole  theme;  his 
thoughts  by  day  and  his  dreams  by  night.  In  all  respects 
he  was  morally,  intellectually,  physically  and  spiritually  a  most 
worthy  and  loving  companion  to  his  Prophet  brother.  As  a 
Patriarch,  he  is  represented  by  his  son,  John.  As  a  Prophet, 
Seer  and  Revelator,  he  is  represented  by  his  son,  President 
Joseph  F.  Smith. 

The  circumstances  of  their  Martyrdom  have  been  relateii 
elsewhere,  and  need  not  be  repeated  here  only  as  relates  directly 
to  Hyrum.  Before  the  awful  tragedy  took  place,  Hyrum  asked 
Elder  Taylor  to  sing  a  second  time  the  hymn,  "A  Poor  Way- 


PATRIARCH   HYRUM   SMITH.  43 

faring  Man  of  Grief."  Elder  Taylor  felt  too  depressed  to  sing, 
but  sang  again  in  compliance  with  Brother  Hyrum's  request. 
Before  leaving  home,  Hyrum  read  the  words  of  Moroni  to  the 
Gentiles  from  the  12th  chapter  of  Ether,  which  are  as  follows : 
"And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  that  He 
would  give  unto  the  Gentiles  grace,  that  they  might  have 
charity.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lord  said  unto  me  if 
they  have  not  charity  it  mattereth  not  unto  thee,  thou  hast 
been  faithful;  wherefore  thy  garments  shall  be  made  clean. 
And  because  thou  hast  seen  thy  weakness,  thou  shalt  be  made 
strong,  oven  unto  the  sitting  down  in  the  place  which  I  have 
prepared  in  the  mansions  of  My  Father.  And  now  I,  (Moroni) 
bid  farewell  unto  the  Gentiles,  yea,  and  also  unto  my  brethren 
whom  I  love,  until  we  shall  meet  before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ,  where  all  men  shall  know  that  my  garments  are 
not  spotted  with  your  blood."  Soon  after  the  singing  of  the 
hymn  by  Elder  Taylor,  the  mob  rushed  upon  the  jail  and  cruelly 
murdered  the  brothers,  first  Hyrum,  and  then  the  Prophet 
Joseph,  and  frightfully  wounded  Apostle  John  Taylor.  Apostle 
Willard  Richards  escaped  injury  although  standing  side  by  side 
with  his  brethren  when  they  fell.  I  will  close  this  brief  sketch 
of  one  of  the  very  greatest  of  men  who  ever  lived,  by  quoting 
the  words  of  President  John  Taylor,  who  witnessed  the  martyr- 
dom and  offered  his  own  life  for  his  brethren:  , 

"These  reflections  and  a  thousand  others  flashed  upon  my 
mind.  I  thought.  Why  must  the  good  perish,  and  the  vir- 
tuous bo  destroyed?  Why  must  God's  nobility,  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  the  most  exalted  of  the  human  family,  the  most  perfect 
types  of  all  excellence,  fall  victims  to  the  cruel,  fiendish  hate 
of  incarnate  devils? 

"The  poignancy  of  my  grief,  I  presume,  however,  was  some- 
what allayed  by  the  extreme  suffering  that  I  endured  from  my 
wounds. 

"Soon  afterwards  I  was  taken  to  the  head  of  the  stairs  and 
laid  there,  where  I  had  a  full  view  of  our  beloved  and  now 
murdered  brother,  Hyrum.  There  he  lay  as  I  had  left  him ;  he 
had  not  moved  a  limb ;  he  lay  placid  and  calm,  a  monument  of 
greatness  even  in  death;  but  his  noble  spirit  had  left  its 
tenement,  and  was  gone  to  dwell  in  regions  more  congenial  to 
its   exalted   nature.    Poor  Hyrum!   he   was   a  great   and   good 


44  PROPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

man,  and  my  soul  was  cemented  to  his.  If  ever  there  was 
an  exemplary,  honest,  and  virtuous  man,  an  embodiment  of  all 
that  is  noble  in  the  human  form,  Hyrum  Smith  was  its  repre- 
sentative." 


JOHN  SMITH 

FOURTH    PRESIDING  PATRIARCH  OF  THE    CHURCH. 

The  brother  of  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  whose  name  stands  at  the 
bead  of  this  brief  chapter,  was  born  in  Derrj'field  (now  Man- 
chester), Rockingham  county,  New  Hampshire,  July  16th,  1781. 
In  1815  he  married  Clarissa  Lyman,  by  whom  he  had  three  chil- 
dren, George  Albert,  Caroline  and  John  Lyman. 

The  Gospel  was  introduced  to  John  Smith  by  his  brother 
Joseph,  father  of  the  Prophet.  He  promptly  obeyed  the  divine 
message,  and  although  very  sick,  he  was  led  to  the  waters  of 
baptism  in  mid-winter,  when  the  ice  had  to  be  cut,  and  received 
the  ordinance  January  9th,  1832.  He  had  been  given  up  by  the 
doctors  to  die,  but  from  the  time  of  his  baptism  began  to  recovei . 
He  was  also  ordained  an  Elder  soon  after  his  baptism. 

He  moved  to  Kirtland,  Ohio,  in  1833,  and  five  years  later  to 
Far  West,  Missouri,  where  he  underwent  the  persecutions  inci- 
dental to  those  trying  times.  From  Far  West  he  removed  to 
Adam-Ondi-Ahman,  where  he  presided  over  the  Church  in 
Daviess  county.  He  with  the  Saints  were  expelled  by  the  mob 
in  1839,  and  in  February  of  that  year  arrived  in  Illinois.  He 
located  at  Green  Plains,  where  he  planted  a  crop,  split  rails  and 
did  other  heavy  manual  labor,  much  unsuited  to  his  age  and 
health.  In  June  he  loctaed  in  Nauvoo  and  thence  went  to  Lee 
county,  Iowa,  to  preside  over  the  Church  in  that  State. 

In  October,  1843,  he  returned  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Mace 
donia,  Hancock  county.  In  that  place  he  presided  over  the 
Saints.  In  January,  1844,  he  was  ordained  to  the  patriarchal 
office.  In  November  of  the  same  year  he  was  driven  by  mobo- 
crats  from  his  home  in  Macedonia  to  Nauvoo,  where  he  impartOil 
many  patriarchal  blessings  to  the  joy  and  comfort  of  the  Saints, 
until  driven  by  mobocrats  from  the  sovereign  State  of  Illinois, 
February  9th,  1846,  to  seek  an  asylum  of  peace  beyond  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  the  valleys  of  the  unexplored  west.  He 
crossed  Iowa  to  Winter  Quarters  and  spent  a  dreary  winter  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Missouri  river.      On  the  9th  of  June,  l&iT, 


46  PROPHETS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

he  commenced  his  weary  march  with  ox  teams  across  the  great 
plains  01  Nebraska,  and  arrived  in  Salt  Lake  valley  September 
23rd,  1847.  While  President  Young  and  associates  were  attend 
ing  directly  to  the  removal  of  the  Saints  from  Winter  Quarters 
to  Salt  Lake  Valley,  Father  John  Smith  presided  over  the. 
Church  in  their  gathered  condition  until  January  1st,  1849,  when 
he  was  ordained  presiding  Patriarch  of  the  Church  under  the 
hands  of  Presidents  Brigham  Young  and  Heber  C.  Kimball. 

The  office  of  Presiding  Patriarch  is  Jianded  down  from  father 
to  son,  the  only  hereditary  office  in  the  Church,  but  at  this  time 
John  Smith  the  eldest  son  of  Hyrum  was  very  young,  and  John, 
the  brother  of  the  first  Patriarch,  was  called  to  fill  this  office, 
which  he  occupied  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  From  the 
Old  Fcrt  he  moved  to  his  city  lot,  which  was  the  only  spot  he  had 
been  left  unmolested,  to  cultivate  for  the  preceding  twenty- three 
years.  Like  his  brother  Joseph  he  was  truly  benevolent  and 
great  hearted,  a  veritable  friend  to  the  poor,  whom  he  blessed 
in  spirit  and  assisted  to  the  temporal  blessings  of  life.  His 
blessings  were  full  of  comfort,  consolation  and  prophecy.  The 
father  of  the  writer  received  under  his  hands  a  choice  and 
prophetic  blessing,  which  we  esteem  as  a  sacred  relic  of  the 
Patriarch's  inspired  administrations  among  the  people  of  God. 
Father  Smith  gave  during  his  labors  in  the  Patriarchal  office 
5,560  patriarchal  blessings,  the  contents  of  which  are  full  of 
comfort,  consolation  and  inspired  prophecies.  They  are  recorded 
in  seven  large  volumes.  He  died  in  Salt  Lake  City,  May  23rd, 
1854,  and  will  come  forth  among  the  very  choicest  fruits  of  the 
morning  of  the  first  resurrection.  He  was  a  choice  friend  of 
Col.  Thos.  L.  Kane,  and  at  whose  hands  Col.  Kane  received 
blessings  which  were  of  lasting  benefit  in  life,  and  will  tend  to 
tlie  latter's  glory  and  exaltation  in  the  life  to  come.  Father 
Smith  was  the  father  of  Apostle  and  President  George  A.  Smith, 
grandfather  of  Apostle  John  Henry  Smith,  and  the  literal  de- 
scendants of  this  great  and  good  man  will  be  numbered  with  the 
presiding  authorities  of  the  Church  through  all  time  to  come, 
and  will  be  found  among  the  foremost  in  the  councils  of 
Heaven. 


JOHN   SMITH. 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  F.  SMITH. 

For  over  twenty  j-ears  President  Joseph  P.  Smith  was  Second 
Counselor,  in  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and  is  now^he  President,  the  date 
of  the  reorganization  of  the  First  Presidency,  after  the  death  of 
President  Snow,  being  October  17th,  1901.  He  was  born 
November  l.3th,  1838,  in  Far  Wes*t,  Caldwell  county,  Missouri. 
The  period  of  his  birth  was  a  stormy  one  in  the  history  of  the 
Church — the  time  when  it  was  in  its  infancy.  His  father, 
Hyrum  Smrch,  the  Prophet's  brother,  was  all  and  more  to 
Joseph  than  Jonathan  was  to  David.  In  life  they  lived,  laboicd 
and  suffered  together,  and  when  their  time  came,  died  together, 
filling  a  martyr's  grave  for  the  salvation  of  mankind.  Mary 
Fielding,  the  mother  of  Joseph  F.,  was  a  native  of  England, 
and  for  energy,  faith  and  determination,  coupled  with  good 
business  abilities,  was  a  most  worthy  and  suitable  companion 
for  her  husband. 

A  few  daj's  previous  to  the  birth  of  Joseph  F.,  his  father  and 
uncle,  Joseph,  with  other  brethren,  were  betrayed,  through  the 
cruel  treachery  of  George  M.  Hinkle,  into  the  hands  of  armed 
mobocrats.  Being  court  martialed,  they  were  sentenced  to  be 
shot ;  but  this  failed,  by  the  interposition  of  Providence,  through 
Gen.  A.  W.  Doniphan.  They  were  then  hustled  off  to  prison, 
but  before  starting  were  allowed  a  few  minutes  to  bid  farewell 
to  their  families,  being  told  they  would  never  see  them  again. 

With  such  scenes  being  enacted  ;  with  mob  rule  holding  sway  ; 
plunderings,  drivings,  imprisonment  without  trial  or  conviction  ; 
with  poverty  and  distress — at  such  a  time  was  Joseph  F.  Smith 
brought  into  the  world.  His  childhood  days  were  spent  amid 
the  scenes  of  persecution  and  hardship  which  resulted  in  the 
martj-rdom  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith.  His  mother  left 
Nauvoo  in  1846,  as  an  exile  from  her  home  and  country,  for  no 
other  cause  than  that  of  worshiping  God  according  to  the  dic- 
.tates  of  her  own  conscience.  Although  at  this  time  Joseph  F. 
was  but  a  lad  of  eight  years,  he  drove  an  ox  team  for  his  mothev 


JOSEPH  F.   SMITH. 


50  PROPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

across  the  State  of  Iowa.  During  the  sojourn  of  the  family  at 
Winter  Quarters,  Joseph  was  occupied  as  a  herd  boy,  in  which 
he  took  special  pride,  feeling  that  his  mother's  cattle  were  the 
only  means  by  which  they  were  to  make  their  way  across  the 
great  plains  of  the  far  west.  Even  after  reaching  the 
valley  Brother  Smith  was  engaged  in  herding,  and  so  close  and 
conscientious  was  his  attention  to  duty  that  he  never  lost  a 
"hoof"  through  neglect  or  carelessness ;  this  attention  and  devo- 
tion to  respcnsibilities  placed  upon  lvM7has  always  marked  his 
character  and  is  seen  in  all  the  labors  of  his  life. 

During  his  trials  at  Winter  Quarters,  while  herding  cattle,  he 
passed  through  a  thrilling  exjierience  with  Indians,  who  sud- 
denly came  upon  him  and  his  companions  for  the  purpose  of  driv- 
ing off  their  herd.  In  the  exciting  chase,  two  Indians,  one  on 
either  side,  rode  up  to  him,  and  taking  hold  of  his  arms,  lifted 
him  from  the  saddle,  and  probably  would  have  killed  him  but 
for  the  unexpected  appearance  of  a  number  of  men  who  were 
going  to  the  hay  field.  The  Indians  suddenly  dropped  him  to  the 
ground,  and  thus  by  the  aid  of  Providence  his  life  was  saved, 
his  bravery  and  fidelity  to  trust  having  saved  the  cattle. 
Brother  Smith  was  taught  by  the  example  and  precept  of  his 
faithful  mother,  that  in  the  performance  of  all  duties  and  labors 
he  should  go  to  the  Lord  in  prayer.  As  a  striking  illustration 
of  the  faith  with  which  he  became  imbued  in  his  early  boyhood, 
by  the  example  of  his  mother,  we  present  the  following  incident 
related  by  himself: 

"In  the  spring  of  1847  a  portion  of  our  family  crossed  the 
plains,  following  the  pioneers  to  the  Valley  of  the  Great  Salt 
Lake,  the  remainder  of  the  family  intending  to  proceed  on  their 
journey  to  the  west  the  following  spring.  In  the  fall  of  1847 
my  mother  and  her  brother,  Joseph  Fielding,  made  a  trip  down 
the  Missouri  river  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  about  150  miles,  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  provisions  and  clothing  for  the  family  for 
the  coming  winter,  and  for  the  journey  across  the  plains  the 
following  spring.  They  took  two  wagons  with  two  yoke  of 
oxen  on  each.  I  was  almost  nine  years  of  age  at  this  time,  and 
accompanied  my  mother  and  uncle  on  their  journey  as  a  team- 
ster. The  weather  was  unpropitious,  the  roads  were  bad,  and  it 
rained  a  great  deal  during  the  journey,  so  that  the  trip  was  a 
very  hard,  trying  and  unpleasant  one. 


PRESIlyEKT  JOSEPH   F.   SMITH.  51 

"At  St.  Joseph  we  purchased  our  groceries  and  dry  goods, 
and  at  Savannah  we  laid  in  our  store  of  flour,  meal,  corn,  bacon 
and  other  provisions.  Returning  to  Winter  Quarters,  we  camped 
one  evening  in  an  open  prairie  on  the  Missouri  river  bottoms, 
by  the  side  of  a  small  spring  creek,  which  emptied  into  the  river 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  us.  We  were  in  plain 
sight  of  the  river,  and  could  apparently  see  over  every  foot  of  the 
little  open  priarie  where  we  were  camped,  to  the  river  on  the 
southwest,  to  the  bluffs  en  the  northeast,  and  to  the  timber  which 
skirted  the  prairie  on  the  right  and  left.  Camping  near  by,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  creek,  were  some  men  with  a  herd  of  beoC 
cattle,  which  they  were  driving  to  Savannah  and  St.  Joseph 
for  market.  We  usually  unyoked  our  oxen  and  turned  'them 
loose  to  feed  during  our  encampment  at  night,  but  this  time,  on 
account  of  the  proximity  of  this  herd  of  cattle,  fearing  that  'they 
might  get  mixed  up  and  driven  off  with  them,  we  turned  our 
oxen  out  to  feed  in  their  yokes.  Next  morning,  when  we  came 
to  look  them  up,  to  our  great  disappointment  our  best  yoke  of 
oxen  was  not  to  be  found.  Uncle  Fielding  and  I  spent  all  morn- 
ing, well  nigh  until  noon,  hunting  them,  but  without  avail.  The 
grass  was  tall  and  in  the  morning  was  wet  with  heavy  dew. 
Tramping  through  this  grass  and  through  the  woods  and  over 
bluffs,  we  were  soaked  to  the  skin,  fatigued,  disheartened  and  al- 
most exhausted.  In  this  pitiable  plight  I  was  the  first  to  return 
to  our  wagons,  and  as  I  approached  I  saw  my  mother  kneeling 
down  praying.  I  halted  for  a  moment,  and  then  gently  drew 
near  enough  to  hear  her  pleading  with  the  Lord  not  to  suffer  us 
to  be  left  in  this  helpless  condition,  but  to  lead  us  to  recover 
our  lost  team,  that  we  might  continue  on  our  travels  in  safety. 
When  she  arose  from  her  knees  I  was  S'tandiug  near  by.  The 
first  expression  I  caught  upon  her  precious  face  was  a  lovely 
smile,  which,  discouraged  as  I  was,  gave  me  renewed  hope  and 
an  assurance  I  had  not  felt  before.  A  few  moments  later  Uncle 
Fielding  came  to  the  camp,  wet  with  the  dews,  faint,  fatigued 
and  thoroughly  disheartened.  His  first  words  were,  'Well, 
Mary,  the  cattle  are  gone !'  Mother  replied  in  a  voice  which 
fairly  rang  with  cheerfulness,  'Never  mind,  your  breakfast  has 
been  waiting  for  hours,  and  now,  while  you  and  Joseph  are 
eating,  I  will  take  a  walk  out  and  see  if  I  can  find  the  cattle.' 

"My  uncle  held  up  his  hands  in  blank  astonishment,  and  if 


62  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

the  Missouri  river  had  suddenly  turned  to  run  up  stream, 
neither  of  us  could  have  been  more  surprised.  'Why,  Mary,'  he 
exclaimed,  'what  do  you  mean?  We  have  been  all  over  this 
country,  all  through  the  timber  and  through  the  herd  of  cattle, 
and  our  oxen  are  gone ;  they  are  not  to  be  found.  I  believe  they 
have  been  driven  off,  and  it  is  useless  for  you  to  attempt  to  do 
such  a  thing  as  hunt  for  them.' 

"  'Never  mind  me,'  said  mother.  'Get  your  breakfast  and  I 
will  see,'  and  she  started  ioward  the  river,  following  down  the 
little  stream.  Before  she  had  proceeded  out  of  speaking  dis- 
tance the  man  in  charge  of  the  herd  of  beef  cattle  rode  up  from 
the  opposite  side  of  the  creek  and  called  out :  'Madam,  I  saw 
your  oxen  over  in  that  direction  this  morning  about  daybreak,' 
pointing  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that  in  which  mother  was 
going.  AVe  heard  plainly  what  he  said,  but  mother  went  right 
on,  paid  no  attention  to  his  remark,  and  did  not  even  turn  her 
head  to  look  at  him.  A  moment  later  the  man  rode  off  rapidly 
toward  his  herd,  which  had  been  gathered  in  the  opening  near 
the  edge  of  the  woods,  and  they  were  soon  under  full  drive  for 
the  road  leading  towards  Savannah  and  soon  disappeared  from 
view. 

""My  mother  continued  straight  down  the  little  stream  of 
water,  until  she  stood  almost  on  the  balik  of  the  river,  and  then 
she  beckoned  to  us.  I  was  watching  her  every  movement  and 
was  determined  that  she  should  not  get  out  of  my  sight.  In- 
stantly we  rose  from  the  'mess-chest,'  on  which  our  breakfast  had 
been  spread,  and  started  toward  her.  Like  John,  who  outran 
the  other  disciple  to  the  sepulcher,  I  outran  my  uncle  and  came 
first  to  the  spot  where  my  mother  stood.  There  I  saw  our 
oxen  fastened  to  a  clump  of  willows  growing  in  the  bottom  of 
a  deep  gulch,  which  had  been  washed  out  of  the  sandy  banks  of 
the  river  by.  the  little  spring  creek,  perfectly  concealed  from 
view.  We  were  not  long  in  releasing  them  from  bondage  and 
getting  back  to  our  camp,  where  the  other  cattle  had  been  fas- 
tened to  the  wagon  wheels  all  the  morning,  and  we  were  soon 
on  our  way  homeward  bound,  rejoicing. 

"This  circumstance  was  one  of  the  first  practical  and  positive 
demonstrations  of  the  eflScacy  of  prayer  I  had  ever  witnessed. 
It  made  an  indelible  impression  upon  my  mind,  and  has  been  a 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH   F.   SMITH.  53 

source  of  comfoi"t,   assurance  and   guidance  to  me  throughout 
all  my  life." 

The  impression  made  upon  Joseph's  mind  by  this  striking 
answer  to  his  mother's  prayer,  has  never  left  him,  but  has 
done  much  to  encourage  him  in  meeting  every  responsibility, 
and  causing  him  to  realize  that,  no  matter  how  arduous  the 
task,  the  Lord  will  not  fail  those  who  put  their  trust  in  Him. 

Crossing  the  plains  from  Missouri  river,  to  the  Salt  Lake 
valley,  Brother  Smith  (though  less  than  ten  years  of  age  at  that 
tim«)  drove  two  yoke  of  oxen  attached  to  a  heavily  laden 
wagon  the  entire  distance  of  more  than  one  thousand  miles. 
Reaching  the  valley  of  Salt  Lake  with  his  mother,  September 
23d,  1848,  he  continued  in  charge  of  the  cattle  as  herd  boy  for 
several  years,  and  never  loS'c  an  animal,  notwithstanding  the 
great  number  of  large  wolves  in  the  valley.  This  work  of  herd- 
ing was  interchanged  with  plowing,  harvesting,  canyon  work, 
etc.,-  idleness  having  no  part  in  his  life. 

The  opportunities  for  education  in  those  early  days  of  trying 
experiences  of  the  Church  were  limited.  Such  learning  as 
Brother  Joseph  possessed  he  acquired  chiefly  from  his  mother. 
She  taught  him  to  read  the  Bible  during  their  pilgrimage  across 
the  plains,  in  the  tent  and  by  the  camp  fire.  Such  facilities  as 
have  been  afforded  him  have  not  passed  by  unimproved.  Being 
fond  of  books,  he  reads  extensively  the  best  of  them,  always 
with  a  purpose  in  view  to  learn  lessons  of  worth  for  practical 
use  in  life ;  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  man  living  applies  them 
better  to  himself  and  family  than  does  President  Smith.  His 
mother  died  Sept.  21st,  1852,  leaving  him  an  orphan  at  the  age 
of  fourteen.  When  fifteen  j^ears  of  age  he  was  called  on  a  mis 
sion  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  received  his  endowments  in 
the  old  Council  House,  and  was  set  apart  in  the  same  building 
by  Apostle  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  Orson  Hyde.  Brother  Pratt, 
who  was  spokesman  in  setting  him  apart,  declared  that  he 
should  receive  the  knowledge  of  the  Hawaiian  language  "by  the 
gift  of  God  as  well  as  by  study."  This  prophecy  was  literally 
fulfilled,  for  in  less  than  four  months  from  his  arrival  (two 
weeks  of  this  time  was  spent  in  severe  sickness)  he  was  able  to 
make  a  tour  of  the  island  of  Maui,  to  preach,  baptize  and  ad- 
minister the  sacrament,  etc.,  all  in  the  native  language.  He 
left  his  mountain  home  to  fulfill  this  mission  on  May  27th,  1854, 


54  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

in  company  with  otlier  missionaries.  The  southern  route  was 
taken,  as  far  as  Cedar,  with  President  Young  and  party  who 
were  on  their  tour  to  the  southern  settlements.  This  little 
band  of  missionaries  was  headed  by  Parley  P.  Pratt.  In 
crossing  the  desert  country  from  southern  Utah  to  California, 
they  were  followed  a  long  distance  by  numbers  of  Indians  who 
were  almost  famished  for  food.  The  only  alternative  was  to 
share  food  with  them,  which  the  company  did  to  keep  on  friendly 
terms.  As  a  result  the  missionaries^?^ere  compelled  to  subsist 
on  very  short  rations,  consuming  the  last  of  their  supplies  the 
day  they  reached  Cajon  Pass. 

During  the  sojourn  of  Joseph  F.  in  California,  iie  worked 
hard  for  a  livelihood  and  to  earn  means  sufficient  to  pay  his 
passage  across  the  Pacific  to  Honolulu,  much  of  his  time  being 
spent  in  the  manufacture  of  cut  shingles.  He  and  his  fellow 
missionaries  embarked  upon  the  "Vaquero,"  and  after  a  some- 
what disagreeable  voyage,  they  landed  in  Honolulu  September 
2Tth,  1854.  After  a  few  days  there.  Brother  Joseph  was  as- 
signed to  the  island  of  Maui,  to  labor  in  company  with  his 
cousin  Silas  Smith,  S.  B.  Thurston  and  Washington  B.  Rogers. 
He  was  shortly  afterwards  prostrated  for  more  than  two  weeks 
with  a  severe  fever.  Upon  his  recovery  he  was  assigned  to 
Kula,  the  place  where  President  Cannon  first  introduced  the 
Gospel  to  the  Hawaiian  race.  He  pursued  the  study  of  the 
language  with  much  diligence  and  faith,  soon  being  able  to 
bear  witness  that  "by  the  gift  of  God,  as  well  as  by  study," 
the  words  of  Brother  Pratt  concerning  his  acquisition  of  the 
language,  were  verified.  His  experience  brought  him  near  to 
the  Lord. 

Relative  to  the  manifestations  of  the  Spirit  to  him,  Elder 
Smith  says :  "Of  the  many  gifts  of  the  Spirit  which  were  mani- 
fest through  my  administration,  next  to  my  acquirement  of  the 
language,  the  most  prominent  was  perhaps  the  gift  of  healing 
and  the  casting  out  of  evil  spirits,  which  frequently  occurred." 
One  instance  occurred  at  Wailuku,  where  he  sojourned  with 
a  native  family,  being  engaged  in  the  study  of  the  language. 
One  night  the  woman  was  suddenly  seized  with  evil  spirits. 
She  went  through  all  manner  of  hideous  contortions.  Her 
husband  was  overcome  with  such  fear  that  he  trembled  as  a 
leaf   in  the  wind.       Brother  Joseph   was   also  somewhat   dis- 


PRESIDENT   JOSEPH    F,   SMITH.  55 

turbed  at  this  new  and  unexpected  demonstration,  but  suddenly 
all  fright  left  him  ;  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  rested  uix>n 
him,  and  he  stood  upon  his  feet,  facing  the  woman  possessed 
of  demons.  "In  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  I  rebuke 
you,"  he  said,  when  suddenly  the  woman  fell  limp  to  the  floor 
and  became  as  one  dead.  The  husband  pronounced  her  dead 
and  then  set  up  a  hideous  howl,  which  Joseph  promptly  rebuked, 
after  which  quiet  and  peace  were  restored  and  the  young  mis- 
sionary proceeded  with  his  studies. 

Brother  Joseph  labored  upon  the  Island  of  Maui  over  eighteen 
months,  with  great  success.  The  readiness  by  which  he  ac- 
quired and  used  the  language  astonished  his  brethren  and 
the  natives.  After  President  F.  A.  Hammond  took  his  depart- 
ure for  his  home  in  Utah,  Brother  Joseph  presided  over  the 
Maui  Conference ;  later  he  also  presided  over  the  Kobala  Con- 
ference for  six  months,  and  the  island  of  Hawaii  for  the  same 
length   of  time. 

*  Brother  Joseph  was  laboring  upon  the  latter  island  at  the 
time  of  the  great  volcanic  eruption  of  1855.  He  says :  "I  ex- 
perienced the  tremendous  shocks  of  earthquake  which  imme- 
diately preceded  the  eruptions,  and  subsequently  visited  the 
great  lava  How  which  issued  from  the  crater.  It  was  said  that 
this  eruption,  in  the  quantity  of  lava  thrown  out,  has  probably 
never  been  surpassed  during  the  residence  of  foreigners  on 
the  islands.  The  flow  continued  for  about  thirteen  months, 
reaching  to  within  six  or  seven  miles  of  the  city  of  Hilo,  more 
than  sixty  miles  from  the  crater.  The  city  and  bay  of  Hilo 
were  in  imminent  danger  of  destruction  for  months.  I  have 
seen  it  stated  since,  that  the  area  covered  by  lava  from  this 
eruption  exceeded  three  hundred  square  miles,  or  about  one- 
thirteenth  of  the  area  of  the  island  of  Hawaii." 

President  Smith  continued  his  labors  upon  the  islands  with 
eflftciency,  passing  through  many  scenes  which  added  strength 
to  his  testimony  of  the  Gospel  and  fitted  him  for  the  positions 
of  responsibility  to  which  he  has  since  been  called.  He  has 
sometimes  said  that  he  was  never  thankful  but  once  that  his 
first  mission  was  upon  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  that  once 
had  been  all  the  time,  from  the  time  of  his  mission  to  the 
present  date. 

Owing  to  the  approach  of  Johnson's  army  to  Utah,  President 


56  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

Young  sent  instructions  that  lie  desired  all  Elders  laboring  in 
foreign  missions  to  return  home.  Accordingly  President  Smith 
and  other  Elders  took  passage  on  the  bark  Yankee,  October  (Jch, 
1855.  Upon  landing  at  San  Francisco  thej-  reported  to  Presi- 
dent George  Q.  Cannon,  at  the  "Wiestern  Standard"  office. 
Shortlj'  after  arriving  on  the  coast  Brother  Smith  journeyed 
south  to  Santa  Cruz,  there  joining  a  company.  He  next  ar- 
ranged to  drive  a  team  to  Utah  for  George  Crismon,  arriving  in 
Great  Salt  Lake  City  February  24th,  1858,  having  been  absent 
four  years.  ■^'"^ 

Immediately  upon  his  return  home,  Joseph  F.  joined  the 
militia  and  started  with  an  expedition  to  intercept  the  hostile 
army  which  had  been  sent  to  Utah.  He  served  under  Col. 
Thomas  P.  Callister,  and  later  was  chaplain  of  the  regiment 
under  Col.  Heber  C.  Kimball.  He  says,  in  speaking  of  his 
enlistment  and  experiences  in  the  Utah  army :  "The  day 
following  my  arrival  home,  I  reported  myself  to  Presi- 
dent Young  and  immediately  enlisted  in  the  Legion  to  de- 
fend ourselves  against  the  encroachment  of  a  hostile  and 
menacing  army.  From  that  time  until  the  proclamation  of 
peace,  and  a  free  and  full  pardon  by  President  Buchanan  came, 
I  was  constantly  in  my  saddle,  prospecting  and  exploring  the 
country  between  Great  Salt  Lake  City  and  Fort  Bridger,  under 
the  command  of  Col.  Thos.  Callister  and  others.  I  was  on 
picket  guard  with  a  party  of  men  under  O.  P.  Rockwell  when 
Commissioners  Powell  and  McCollough  met  us  near  the  Weber 
river,  with  the  President's  proclamation.  Subsequently  I  wcs 
on  detail  in  the  deserted  city  of  Great  ^Salt  Lake  until  after  the 
army  passed  through  and  thence  to  Camp  Floyd.  After  this  1 
assisted  my  relatives  to  return  to  their  homes,  from  which  thoy 
had  fled. 

At  the  session  of  the  legislature  held  in  the  winter  ^f  1858-9, 
President  Smith  officiated  as  sergeant-at-arms  in  the  Council, 
and  on  March  29,  1858,  he  was  ordained  into  the  thirty-second 
quorum  of  Seventies.  He  was  married  April  5,  1859,  and  on 
October  16th  of  the  same  year  was  ordained  a  High  Priest,  also 
being  made  a  member  of  the  High  Council  of  the  Salt  Lake 
Stake  of  Zion.  At  the  April  Conference,  1860,  Brother  Joseph 
was  called  on  a  mission  to  Great  Britain.  He  was  in  straitened 
circumstances  financially,  and  was  almost  obliged  to  discontinue 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH   F.   SMITH.  57 

housekeeping  and  allow  his  wife  to  return  to  her  mother's 
home  for  the  time  being.  He  was  soon  on  his  way,  iu  company 
with  his  cousin,  Samuel  B.  Smith,  each  driving  a  four-mule  team 
to  paj-  their  way  across  the  plains.  Tliey  sailed  for  Liverpool 
July  14,  arriving  in  that  port  on  the  27th  of  that  month.  Dur- 
ing his  mission  in  England  President  Smith  traveled  in  various 
conferences,  and  in  all  his  ministrations  among  the  Saints  and 
strangers  loft  an  impression  for  good  that  can  never  be  effaced. 
President  George  Q.  Cannon  was  also  in  Great  Brtiain  on  a  mis- 
sion at  the  same  time,  and  it  was  while  there  perhaps,  more 
than  any  other  place,  thej-  learned  to  love  and  esteem  each 
other,  where  a  friendship  was  established  which  grew  stronger 
as  the  years  went  by. 

During  his  mission  in  Europe  President  Smith,  with  Presi- 
dent Cannon,  visited  several  of  the  conferences  in  Denmark, 
and  with  Elder  Brigham  Young,  Jr.,  and  others,  visited  Paris, 
France.  Brother  Joseph  F.  was  released  after  filling  a  most 
'^honorable  and  efficient  mission,  returning  home  in  1863.  He 
was  in  New  York  City  at  the  time  of  the  dreadful  riots  which 
occurred  in  July  of  that  year.  Arriving  home  he  found  his  wife 
in  a  verj'  poor  state  of  health,  which  for  some  time  grew 
worse,  but  he  waited  upon  her  day  and  night  with  little  or  no 
rest  for  many  weeks,  when  she  gradually  recovered  her  health. 

It  was  not  in  the  providences  of  the  Lord  that  Brother  Joseph 
F.  should  remain  long  at  that  i>eriod  of  his  life  to  enjoy  the 
quiet  and  peace  of  home,  for  in  March,  1864,  he  started  on  his 
second  mission  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  went  in  company 
with  Apostles  Lorenzo  Snow  and  Ezra  T.  Benson,  and  Elders 
William  W.  Guff  and  Alma  L.  Smith.  The  purpose  of  their  mis- 
sion was  to  regulate  the  affairs  of  the  Church  on  the  islands, 
which  had  been  greatly  interfered  with  by  one  Walter  M. 
Gibson,  who  had  presumptuously  established  himself  as  leader 
of  the  Church  upon  the  Islands.  They  labored  faithfully  to 
convert  'Sir.  Gibson  from  his  wrong  doing,  but  to  no  avail. 
The  man  was  not  honest  at  heart,  and  they  were  obliged,  for  the 
protection  of  the  native  Saints,  to  excommunicate  him.  This 
trouble  being  settled,  the  Apostles  soon  returned  to  America, 
leaving  President  Smith  and  other  American  Elders  in  charge 
of  the  mission,  from  which  he  returned  in  the  winter  of  1861-5. 

While  upon  this  mission  an  incident  occurred  which  is  worthy 


58  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

of  note.  The  ship  ui)OTi  which  tiie  brethren  arrived  wns 
anchored  in  the  channel,  where  the  sea  was  usually  very  rough. 
A  breakwater  had  been  constructed,  and  by  the  protection  of  it 
the  natives  successfully  ran  their  boats  ashore.  However,  in 
approaching  it  there  was  danger  of  disaster.  It  was  proposed 
to  land  the  passengers  in  the  ship's  freight  boat,  which  wa.i 
unwieldy  and  not  easily  managed.  President  Smith  at  once 
apprehended  the  danger,  and  stoutly  protested  against  incurring 
the  great  risk  of  capsizing  the  boat  at  the  breakwater.  He 
refused  to  accompany  them  and  tried  to  persuade  his  co- 
laborers  not  to  go.  They  were  persistent,  however,  and  made 
the  attempt,  although  Brother  Joseph  had  offered  to  go  alone 
if  necessary  for  a  better  boat.  When  they  determined  to  go,  he 
persuaded  them  to  permit  him  to  remain  on  the  anchored  ship 
and  leave  their  clothing  and  valuable  articles  with  him.  They 
consented  to  this  reluctantly,  and  as  they  moved  away  from  the 
ship,  Joseph  stood  upon  the  deck,  gazing  at  his  brethren  with 
awful  anxiety.  His  fears  were  well  grounded,  for  as  their 
boat  struck  the  breakwater,  a  heavy  wave  dashed  against 
it  and  instantly  capsized  it,  emptying  its  human  cargo 
into  the  surging  billows.  A  boat  manned  by  natives  came  to  the 
rescue  and  recovered  all  but  Apostle  Snow,  when  they  started 
for  shore.  Brother  W.  W.  Cluflf  demanded  the  return  of  the 
boat,  that  they  might  secure  Brother  Snow,  which  was  done, 
and  his  body  was  recovered.  To  all  appearance  he  was  dead. 
Through  the  mercies  of  the  Lord,  however,  he  was  restored  to 
life.  All  this  time  Brother  Joseph  stood  in  awful  suspense,  a 
helpless  spectator,  upon  the  anchored  ship.  This  action  of 
President  Smith  indicates  a  trait  which  has  been  manifested 
throughout  his  life — he  has  the  courage  of  his  convictions,  and 
is  most  vigorous  and  earnest  in  expressing  them. 

After  Brother  Smith  returned  home  from  this  mission  he 
was  variously  employed.  He  was  an  active  and  eflBcient  memb?r 
of  the  city  council  for  several  terms ;  the  effects  of  his  influence 
in  that  municipal  body  are  today  monuments  of  worth  to  the 
city  of  Salt  Lake.  The  possession  of  Liberty  Park  by  Salt 
Lake  City  is  due  to  his  influence  and  determined  convictions 
more  than  to  the  labors  of  any  other  man.  July  1st,  1866,  he 
was  ordained  an  Apostle  by  President  Brigham  Young,  and  on 
the  8th  of  October,  1867,  was  called  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  the 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  F.  SMITH.  59 

council  of  the  T^^^elve.  When  President  Young  cho-e  to  have 
more  than  two  counselors,  Brother  Joseph  P.  was  one  of  the 
number  selected.  In  1868  he  was  called  with  Apostle  Woodruff 
and  Elder  A.  O.  Smoot,  to  go  to  Provo  and  labor  for  the  up- 
building of  that  city  and  Utah  county.  He  served  one  term  in 
the  Provo  city  council.  By  permission  of  President  Young,  in 
1808-9,  he  moved  his  family  back  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  resumed 
his  labors  there. 

On  February  28th,  1874,  Brother  Joseph  F.  started  on  his 
second  mission  to  Great  Britain,  this  time  to  preside  over 
the  European  mission.  During  his  labors  in  Europe,  Scan- 
dinavia, Germany,  Switzerland  and  France  were  Aisited,  as 
well  as  the  several  conferences  of  the  British  Isles.  He  proved 
himself  to  be  one  of  the  very  best  men  that  has  ever  presided 
over  any  mission,  not  only  for  his  prompt  and  wise  methods  of 
conducting  affairs,  but  also  his  humility  in  obeying  the  prompt- 
ings of  the  Spirit,  for  which  he  constantly  lives.  His  personal 
love  and  tender-hearted  kindness  to  every  Elder  in  the  mis- 
sion endeared  him  to  the  hearts  of  thousands. 

Soon  after  the  decease  of  President  Geo.  A.  Smith,  in  the 
falj  of  1875,  Brother  Smith  was  released  to  return  home,  and 
upon  returning  he  was  appointed  to  preside  over  the  Saints  in 
Davis  county,  which  at  that  time  was  not  organized  into  a 
Stake.  He  held  this  position  until  the  spring  of  1877,  when  lie 
was  called  on  his  third  mission  to  Great  Britain.  Before  leav- 
ng  he  witnessed  the  dedication  of  the  St.  George  Temple,  the 
first  completed  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  country. 

About  the  Is't  of  September  he  and  Elder  Orson  Pratt  re- 
ceived the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  President  Brigham  Young, 
and  were  requested  by  the  Council  of  the  Apostles  to  imme- 
diately return  home.  They  reached  Salt  Lake  City  September 
27,  1877,  and  the  following  year  Brother  Joseph  was  sent  with 
Elder  Pratt  on  a  short  mission  to  the  East.  They  visited  noted 
places  in  Church  history,  in  Missouri,  Illinois,  Ohio  and  New 
York,  calling  upon  David  Whitmer,  one  of  the  three  wiiness.'S 
to  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

In  October,  1880,  when  the  Presidency  of  the  Church  was 
organized  with  President  John  Taylor  at  the  head,  Brother 
Smith  was  chos-^n  to  be  his  Second  Counselor.  He  was  chosen 
to  the  same  position  under  President  Woodruff  and  President 


60  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

Snow.  He  noAv  occupies  the  great  station  of  the  presidency, 
succeeding  President  Lorenzo  Snow.  During  the  presidency  of 
John  Taylor,  and  under  the  trying  scenes  of  the  anti-"Mormon" 
crusade,  by  direction  of  President  Taylor,  Brother  Smith  per- 
formed another  faithful  nuission  in  the  ^Sandwich  Islands. 
While  there  he  obtained  an  exact  copy  of  the  old  Spaulding 
story,  and  by  evidence  incontrovertible  showed  that  not  the 
slightest  .resemblance  existed  between  the  Book  of  Mormon  and 
the  ,?tory.  _ 

His  labors  in  the  city  council,  the  legislature  and  other  places 
of  civil  and  financial  responsibilities,  are  too  numerous  to 
mention  in  a  brief  sketch.  He  has  filled  every  position  of  trust 
assigned  him  with  such  unblemished  honesty  and  fidelity  'that 
no  man  can  justly  say  aught  against  him.  One  of  the  grandest 
traits  of  his  character  is  impartial  justice.  The  great  system 
of  Patriarchal  marriage,  so  well  designed  to  prove  the  hearts  of 
men  and  women,  and  to  develop  in  them  the  principles  of  pure 
love,  charity,  justice  and  impartiality,  has  no  better  examples 
among  God's  people  than  President  Smith.  Whatever  obliga- 
tion he  is  under  to  that  sacred  principle  for  his  existence  and 
for  the  possession  of  his  own  posterity,  he  is  meeting  manfully, 
with  the  record  that  his  example  shall  exemplify  the  truth  as 
revealed  to  the  Prophet  Joseph. 

As  a  fitting  conclusion  of  this  meagre  sketch  of  a  useful  life, 
we  quote  a  pen  sketch  made  in  1900,  of  President  Smith  from 
Elder  Edward  H.  Anderson  : 

"President  Smith  has  been  constantly  in  the  service  of  the 
public  and  by  his  straightforward  course  has  won  the  love,  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  the  whole  community.  He  is  a  friend  of 
the  people,  is  easily  approached,  a  wise  counselor,  a  man  of 
broad  views,  and,  contrary  to  first  impressions,  is  a  man  whose 
sympathies  are  easily  aroused.  He  is  a  reflex  of  the  best 
character  of  the  '^lormon'  i>eople — inured  to  hardships,  patient 
in  trial,  God-fearing,  self-sacrificing,  full  of  love  for  the  human 
race,  powerful   in  moral,  mental  and  physical  strength. 

"President  Joseph  F.  Smith  has  an  imposing  physical  appear- 
pearance.  Now  completing  his  sixty-second  year,  he  is  tall, 
erect,  well-knit  and  symmetrical  in  build.  He  has  a  prominent 
nose  and  features.  When  speaking  he  throws  his  full,  clea'*, 
brown  eyes  wide  open  on  the  listener,  who  may  readily  perceive 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH   F.   SMITH.  61 

from  their  penetrating  glimpses  the  wonderful  mental  power 
of  the  tall  forehead  above.  His  large  head  is  crowned  with  an 
abundant  growth  of  hair,  in  his  early  years  dark,  but  now,  like 
his  full  beard,  tinged  with  a-  liberal  sprinkling  of  gray.  In 
conversation,  one  is  forcibly  impressed  with  the  sudden  change;^ 
in  appearance  of  his  countenance  under  the  different  influences 
of  his  mind ;  now  intensely  pleasant  with  an  enthusiastic  and 
childlike  intereS't  in  immediate  teubjects  and  surroundings ; 
now  absent,  the  mobility  of  his  features  set  in  that  earnest, 
almost  stern,  majesty  of  expression  so  characteristic  of  his  por- 
traits— so  indicative  of  the  severity  of  the  conditions  and  en- 
vironments of  his  early  life. 

"As  a  public  speaker,  his  leading  trait  is  an  intense  earnest- 
ness. He  impresses  the  hearer  with  his  message  more  from 
the  sincerity  of  its  delivery  and  the  honest  earnestness  of  his 
manner,  than  from  any  learned  exhibition  of  oratory  or  studied 
display  of  logic.  He  touches  the  hearts  of  the  people  with  the 
"simple  eloquence  of  one  who  is  himself  convicted  of  the  truths 
presented.  He  is  a  pillar  of  strength  in  the  Church,  thoroughly 
imbued  with  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  and  the  divine  origin  of 
this  work.  His  whole  life  and  testimony  are  an  inspiration  to 
the  young. 

"I  said  to  him :  'You  knew  Joseph,  the  Prophet ;  you  are  old 
in  the  work  of  the  Church ;  what  is  your  testimony  to  the  youth 
of  Zion  concerning  these  things?'  And  he  replied  slowly  and 
deliberately :  'I  was  acquainted  with  the  Prophet  Joseph  in 
my  youth.  I  was  familiar  in  his  home,  with  his  boys  and  with 
his  family.  I  have  sat  on  his  knee ;  I  have  heard  him  preach ; 
distinctly  remember  being  present  in  the  council  with  my  father 
and  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  and  others.  From  my  childhood 
to  youth  I  believed  him  to  be  a  Prophet  of  God.  From  my 
youth  until  the  present  I  have  not  believed  that  he  was  a 
Prophet,  for  I  have  known  that  he  was.  In  other  words,  my 
knowledge  has  superseded  my  belief.  I  remember  seeing  him 
dressed  in  military  uniform  at  the  head  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion. 
I  saw  him  when  he  crossed  the  river,  returning  from  his  in- 
tended western  trip  into  the  Rocky  Mountains,  to  go  to  his 
martyrdom,  and  I  saw  his  lifeless  body,  together  with  that  of 
my  father,  after  they  were  murdered  in  Carthage  jail  and  still 
have  the  most  palpable  remembrance  of  the  gloom  and  sorrow 


62  PROPHETS  AND    PATRIARCHS. 

of  those  dreadful  days.  I  believe  in  the  divine  mission  of  the 
Prophet  of  the  nineteenth  century  with  all  my  heart,  and  in  the 
authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  inspiration  of  the 
Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  and  hope  to  be  faithful  to  God 
and  man,  and  not  false  to  myself,  to  the  end  of  my  days." 


PATRIARCH  JOHN  SMITH. 

John  Smith  is  a  name  so  exceedingly  common  that  it  is  not 
infrequently  used  by  humorists  and  others  for  characterization 
when  a  handier  cognomen  does  not  occur  to  them ;  and  indeed, 
without  some  striking  individuality  or  special  means  of  identifi- 
cation, the  name  may,  and  sometimes  does  produce  confusion  and 
uncertainty.  In  Utah  are  many  who  bear  it  with  an  addition 
before  or  after,  and  no  doubt,  as  elsewhere,  there  are  a  few 
who  have  the  name  in  all  its  simplicity,  undistinguished  by  any 
other.  Yet  there  is  one  among  the  Latter-day  Saints  who  is  so 
named,  and  whose  personality  and  pcsition  are  so  striking  that 
■^le  is  hardly  ever  taken  for  another  or  vice  versa.  This  man.  is 
the  one  whose  name  and  office  appear  at  the  heading  of  this 
chapter. 

John  Smith,  the  presiding  Patriarch  of  the  Church,  entered 
upon  this  sphere  of  action  seventy-three  years  ago,  the  exact 
date  of  his  birth  being  Sept.  22nd,  1832,  and  the  place  Kirtland, 
Lake  (then  Geauga)  county,  Ohio.  His  father,  Hyrum  Smith, 
was  the  Patriarch,  who  sealed  his  testimony  with  his  blood  along 
with  his  brother  Joseph  ;  the  mother  was  Jerusha  Barden  Smith, 
who  died  October  13th,  1837.  The  father  was  again  married, 
on  December  24th,  1837,  to  Miss  Mary  Fielding,  who  bore  him 
a  son  and  a  daughter.  Young  John  accompanied  his  father's 
family  to  Far  West,  that  place  around  whose  name  so  many 
painful  recollections  to  the  Saints  center,  early  in  1838.  Perse- 
cution was  rife.  During  that  year  his  Patriarch  father  and 
Prophet  uncle  were  hounded  in  various  ways  by  howling  mobs 
and  finally  lodged  in  Liberty  county  jail,  but  were  subsequently 
released.  Expulsion  from  the  community  and  the  State  are 
also  among  the  youthful  recollections  of  the  present  Patriarch ; 
these  with  many  other  tribulations  for  the  Gospel's  sake  going 
to  make  up  a  very  turbulent  commencement  of  a  life's  journey. 

After  varied  experiences,  all  involving  innumerable  hardships, 
the  family  at  last  reached  Commerce,  Illinois,  the  town  which 


64  PROPHETS   AND    PATRIARCHS. 

afterwards  became  world-renowned  as  Nauvoo.  Young  John 
left  his  people  and  started  with  Heber  C.  Kimball's  familj-  for 
the  wild  west  in  February,  1847.  On  this  expedition  his  ex- 
periences were  numerous.  He  had  to  do  all  kinds  of  work  and 
endure  all  kinds  of  privations.  During  the  early  part  of  the 
journey  across  the  plains  he  became  acquainted  with  Col. 
Thomas  L.  Kane,  whose  name  is  held  in  high  regard  by  the 
Latter-day  Saints,  and  became  a  nurse  for  that  distinguished 
gentleman  when  suffering  from  an  aiiack  of  sickness.  After 
going  back  over  a  great  portion  of  the  journey  traversed  to 
meet  his  relatives,  whom  he  heard  were  coming,  and  returning 
to  Winter  Quarters  where  an  extended  stay  occurred,  the  party 
at  last  were  off  for  the  "vast,  booming,  bounding  West,"  com- 
mencing the  journey  during  the  month  of  April,  1848.  It  proved 
to  be  an  unusually  hard  journey,  filled  with  trials  and  perils, 
but  under  the  providence  of  the  Lord  it  was  finished  in  safety  on 
the  22nd  of  September,  Brother  Smith's  sixteenth  birthday. 
As  a  sample  of  many  occurrences  of  that  trying  trip,  the  fol- 
lowing from  the  "Juvenile  Instructor"  is  here  given : 

"On  one  occasion  a  circumstance  occurred  which  he  feels 
he  will  never  forget.  At  about  sundown,  while  the  party  were 
encamped  on  the  Platte  river,  it  was  reported  that  a  woman 
was  lost.  Without  ceremony  he  took  his  coat  on  his  arm  and 
a  piece  of  corn  bread  in  his  hand  and  started  out  up  the  road, 
to  follow  a  part  of  the  company  which  had  left  at  noon.  He 
had  not  gone  far  when  he  came  up  with  a  dead  carcass,  which 
was  covered  with  wolves  fighting  and  howling.  He  walked 
past  as  fast  and  as  quietly  as  possible.  He  traveled  six  miles 
before  he  came  up  with  any  wagons.  During  this  distance  he 
passed  about  twenty  such  frightful  scenes,  but  he  got  through 
in  safety,  and  he  thinks  he  was  unnoticed  by  the  wolves.  He 
stopped  for  the  balance  of  the  night  with  an  acquaintance,  and 
at  daybreak  proceeded  on  his  journey  and  found  the  lost  woman, 
a  little  after  sunrise,  safe  with  her  mother,  six  miles  from  where 
he  staj^ed  for  the  night." 

Brother  Smith's  career  in  Utah,  like  that  of  so  many  others 
who  came  at  or  close  to  the  beginning,  has  been  exceedingly 
varied.  All  kinds  of  service,  public  and  private,  military  and 
civil,  religious  and  secular,  have  fallen  to  his  lot  and  always  has 
it  received  proper  attention  and  correct  performance.     He  also 


JOHN   SMITH. 


66  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

filled  a  successful  mission  to  Scandinavia,  on  which  be  set  out 
in  'May,  1802 ;  his  experiences  on  this  mission  were  at  times 
most  trying,  but  be  faltered  not  and  came  home  at  last  with  a 
company  of  972  Saints.  On  December  25tb,  1853,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Helen  M.  Fisher,  who  has  borne  him  five  sons  and 
four  daughters.  His  ordination  to  the  oflice  of  Patriarch  was 
in  February,  1855,  under  tbe  hands  of  Presidents  Brigham 
Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Jedediah  M.  Grant ;  and  Apostles 
Orson  Hyde,  Orson  Pratt,  Wilford  Woodruff,  George  A.  Smith 
and  Lorenzo  Snow.  During  his  administration  of  this  high 
and  holy  office.  Brother  Smith  has  given  15,803  PatHarchal 
blessings.  Notwithstanding  his  years  and  the  dazzling  white- 
ness of  his  hair  and  beard,  he  is  as  active  and  spry  as  many  a 
man  of  half  his  years.  May  he  long  continue  so.  The  writer 
received  a  Patriarchal  blessing  at  the  hands  of  Patriarch  Smith, 
when  nineteen  years  of  age.  Many  glorious  promises  therein 
have  been  literally  fulfilled.  This  may  be  said  of  the  thousands 
of  blessings  be  has  given,  for  he  enjoys  the  spirit  of  his  calling, 
and  his  predictions  will  be  fulfilled.  Happy  is  the  man  who 
receives  a  blessing  from  him  who  holds  the  keys  of  the  office. 
Brother  Smith  is  kind,  genial  and  fatherly,  sociable  with  all  and 
unassuming  in  his  disposition.  May  his  life  be  preserved  for 
many  years  to  bless  the  people  of  God. 


PRESIDENT  GEORGE  A.  SMITH. 

George  Albert  Smith,  who  was  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 
and  a  First  Counselor  to  President  Brigham  Young,  was  born 
June  26th,  1817,  in  Potsdam,  St,  Lawrence  county,  New  York. 
He  was  the  son  of  John  Smith  and  Clarissa  Lyman  Smith. 
His  father  was  a  brother  to  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  the  father  of  the 
Prophet,  George  thus  being  a  first  cousin  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith.  The  Smith  family  was  a  fine  race  of  sturdy,  honest,  in- 
dustrious men  and  women,  typical  Americans,  who  loved  thoir 
native  soil  and  offered  their  lives  at  various  times  of  emergency, 
to  establish  and  perpetuate  the  principles  of  human  liberty  in 
the  Uoited  States. 

When  George  A.  was  born  he  weighed  four  pounds ;  when  full 
grown,  about  250.  He  was  dignified  in  his  bearing,  yet  affable 
and  kind,  without  affectation,  in  all  his  deportment.  He  was 
so  conscientious  that  if  he  offended  a  little  child  he  would  ask 
forgiveness.  In  other  words,  he  possessed  what  few  men  can 
claim — the  moral  courage  to  be  humble  and  meek. 

Among  many  other  great  qualities  of  George  A.  Smith  were 
two  notable  traits  which  characterized  our  Lord  and  Savior — 
the  courage  of  a  lion  and  the  meekness  of  a  lamb.  George  A. 
dared  to  do  right,  no  matter  what  the  consequences  might  be, 
and  would  suffer  a  great  wrong  rather  than  to  do  the  least 
wrong  himself.  In  boyhood  he  was  trained  in  the  tenets  of 
the  Congregational  church  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  While 
attending  school  in  Potsdam,  a  peculiar  circumstance  occurred 
which  exhibited  his  sense  of  honor  and  his  sensitive  nature. 
He  had  grown  very  rapidly,  in  consequence  of  which  he  was 
very  awkward.  To  this  inconvenience  was  added  the  misfor- 
tune of  being  near-sighted.  The  boys  of  the  school  had  a  habit 
of  taunting  and  making  fun  of  him.  Being  wrapped  up  in  his 
studies  and  contented  with  the  company  of  the  older  and  wiser 
persons,  he  made  no  effort  to  curry  sympathy  and  favor  with 
the  boys  of  the  school.  They  continued  to  ridicule  him  until 
he   felt   thoroughly   outraged   and   determined   that   longer   for- 


68  PROPHETS   AND  PATRIARCHS. 

bearance  would  not  be  a  virtue.  He  therefore  resolved  to  resent 
this  kind  of  treatment  by  whipping  the  perpetrators.  He  had 
been  very  sick  and  was  just  recovering  when  these  resolutions 
were  firmly  es'tablished  in  his  mind  as  the  right  thing  to  do. 
He  therefore  waited  patiently  until  sufficient  strength  was 
regained,  when  he  started  in  to  thrashing  the  boys,  and  did  not 
refrain  until  he  had  soundly  whipped  every  boy  of  his  age  and 
size  in  school.  It  was  a  very  practical  lesson  for  his  school- 
mates, and  it  was  effectual,  for  they  never  made  fun  of  him 
after  that. 

In  the  winter  of  1828,  George  A.'s  father  received  a  letter 
from  the  latter's  nephew,  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  in  which  he  pre- 
dicted that  the  judgments  of  God  were  coming  upon  the  earth 
because  of  wickedness  and  abominations  which  exist  among 
the  people.  This  letter  made  a  lasting  impression  upon  the 
young  man's  mind,  and  his  father  remarked  that  "Joseph  writes 
like  a  prophet." 

In  August,  1830,  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  and  his  son  Don  Carlos 
paid  their  relatives  a  visit  in  Potsdam.  Thej'  brought  with 
them  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  left  it  with  father  John  Smith, 
while  they  proceeded  to  visit  other  family  relatives.  George 
A.  and  his  mother  immediately  set  about  reading  the  strange 
book.  Neighbors  came  in  and  heard  portions  of  it.  They 
ridiculed  and  raised  objections  to  it.  These  objections  young 
Gteorge  Albert  found  himself  'ti-ying  to  answer,  and  with 
remarkable  success,  although  but  thirteen  years  old.  The  Spirit 
of  Light  rested  upon  him  to  the  discomfiture  and  defeat  of  his 
opponents.  They  would  leave  the  house  with  the  remark  to  his 
mother  that  her  boy  was  a  little  too  smart  for  them.  George 
A.  himself  thought  he  saw  objections  to  the  book.  Upon  the 
return  of  his  relatives  he  expressed  these  objections,  when  his 
Uncle.  Joseph  took  them  up  one  by  one,  quoting  the  Bible  to 
show  that  such  a  work  should  come  forth ;  he  was  then  thor- 
oughly convinced  and  from  this  time  he  became  a  staunch 
advocate  and  defender  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  as  a  divine  record. 
He  was  also  convinced  that  some  authorized  system  of  religion 
was  essential  to  salvation.  Soon  after  this  he  attended  a  Oon- 
gregationtal  revival,  and  while  nearly  every  non-believer  in  the 
audience  was  converted  but  himself,  he  sat  day  after  day  in 
the   gallery   awaiting   the   sensation   of  religion.       Finally   the 


GEORGE   A.  SMITH. 


70  PROPHJiTS   AND   PATRIARCHS. 

minis'ter  gave  him  up  as  a  reprobate  and  sealed  him  up  to 
eternal  damnation,  saying,  "Tliy  blood  be  upon  thine  own  head." 
Nine  times  he  thus  delivered  this  offensive  but  unsatisfied  seeker 
for  religion  to  the  buffet ings  of  Satan  and  the  burning  of  an 
endless  hell. 

IVo  years  later,  September  10th,  1832,  George  A.  Smith 
embraced  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  being  baptized  into  the  Church 
by  Elder  Joseph  H.  Wakefield.  May  1st,  1833,  he  left  with  his 
parents  for  Kirtland,  Ohio.  They  reached  their  destination 
May  25th,  and  were  warmly  received  by  the  Prophet  Joseph. 
George  A.  at  once  imbibed  the  spirit  of  the  work,  became 
deeply  interested  in  'the  affairs  of  the  Church,  and  was  de- 
lighted with  his  cousin,  Joseph  the  Prophet.  This  was  their 
first  meeting.  He  was  valiant  for  the  cause  to  the  fullest 
extent.  On  hand  for  any  duty  required,  he  spent  many  nights 
guarding  his  brethren,  whose  lives  were  in  jeopardy  from  the 
violence  of  mobs.  In  the  summer  he  was  occupied  in  quarrying 
and  hauling  rock  for  the  temple,  and  doing  other  manual  labor 
about  the  building.  George  A.  and  Harvey  Stanley  hauled  the 
first  two  loads  of  rock  from  Stanard's  quarry  to  the  temple 
ground.  He  was  one  of  that  valiant  band,  Zion's  Camp,  leav- 
ing Kirtland  for  Missouri  in  May,  1834.  The  camp  had  to 
undergo  many  hardships,  and  as  many  in  the  camp  of  ancient 
Israel  murmured  against  the  Prophet  Moses,  so  did  some  in 
Zion's  Camp  complain  against  the  Propheft  Joseph  Smith. 
George  A.  was  not  only  free  from  the  least  disposition  to 
murmur,  but  was  extremely  cheerful,  possessing  a  happy  vein  of 
humor.  On  one  occasion  when  sent  to  a  house  to  obtain  some 
buttermilk,  the  lady  of  the  house  gave  him  the  milk  in  a  bucket 
not  very  clean.  Some  of  the  brethren  complained  very  severely, 
when  George  A.  remarked,  laughingly,  "If  you  had  seen  the 
churn  the  buttermilk  came  from  you'd  never  mention  the 
bucket."  On  his  journey  to  and  from  Missouri  he  traveled  on 
foot  two  thousand  miles. 

March  1st,  1835,  he  w^as  ordained  a  Seventy  by  Joseph 
Smith,  Sr.,  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  and  Sidney  Rigdon,  the  latter 
being  spokesman.  George  A.  was  the  junior  member  of  the 
first  quorum  of  Seventy,  in  this  dispensation. 

June  5th,  1835,  with  his  second  cousin,  Lyman  Smith,  he 
left  for  a  mission  to  the  East.     They  journeyed  on  foot,  traveled 


PRESIDENT  GEORGE   A.   SMITH.  71 

-without  money  and  held  about  eighty  meetings  in  Ohio,  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  York.  George  A.  returned  to  Kirtland  October 
5th,  in  1835.  He  received  his  endowments  in  the  Kirtland 
Temple  in  the  spring  of  1836,  and  soon  after  performed  a 
mission  in  Ohio,  traveling  nearly  1,200  miles  on  foot.  Early  in 
1837  he  performed  a  mission  in  Ohio  and  Virginia,  occupying 
about  one  year,  traveling  2,500  miles,  half  the  distance  on  foot. 
In  1838,  he  removed  with  his  father's  family  from  Ohio  to 
Daviess  county,  Missouri.  June  28th,  1838,  he  was  ordained  a 
High  Priest,  and  the  fall  of  the  same  year  found  him.  a 
missionary  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  He  traveled  800  miles 
on  foot,  700  by  water  during  his  absence  and  accomplished  a 
good  work.  Subsequently  he  moved  into  Illinois  with  his 
father's  family  and  early  in  1839  returned  to  Far  West. 

On  the  2(3th  day  of  April,  1839,  G«o.  A.  Smith  was  ordained 
one  of  the  Twelve  Apo^les  of  the  Church,  at  the  southeast 
cornerstone  of  the  temple  which,  through  persecution,  has  not 
^een  built.  On  September  21st,  1839,  he  started  on  his  mission 
to  England,  arriving  in  Liverpool  on  the  0th  of  April,  3840.  He 
was  one  of  the  best  missionaries,  always  affable  and  jiind  in  his 
manner  and  perfectly  clear  in  his  testimony  and  understanding 
of  the;  Gospel.  Tliese  good  qualities  were  so  thoroughly 
quickened  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Apostle 
Smith,  that  he  won  the  love  and  respect  of  the  honest  in  heart 
wherever  he  traveled,  and  was  ins'trumental  in  bringing  many 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  He  returned  to  Nauvoo  July  5th, 
1841.  The  25th  of  the  same  month  he  received  in  marriage 
Bathsheba  W.  Bigler.  From  this  time  until  the  martyrdom  of 
the  Prophet  and  Patriarch  of  the  Church,  Elder  Smith  was 
busy  at  home  and  abroad,  building  up  the  city  and  the  temple 
and  spreading  the  Gospel  throughout  the  land.  He  preached 
in  the  principal  cities  of  Illinois  and  performed  another  faithful 
mission  in  the  Middle  and  Eastern  States. 

When  he  learned  of  the  death  of  his  cousins,  Joseph  and 
Hyrum,  he  was  engaged  as  a  missionary  in  the  State  of 
Michigan.  He  returned  at  once  to  Xauvoo  and  actively  partici- 
pated in  all  the  councils  and  deliberations  for  the  well-being  of 
the  Saints  in  those  sad  days  of  trials  and  tribulations. 

In  February,  1846,  he  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  with  his 
familj',  an  exile  from  home  to  find  a  place  of  rest  and  respite 


72  PKOPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

from  the  furious  rage  of  religious  bigots,  who  were  mobocrats 
while  hypocritically  professing  Christianity.  The  ensuing 
winter  he  lived  at  Winter  Quarters,  where  the  people  suffered 
much  sickness.  At  this  place  his  wife  and  four  children  died. 
He  visited  all  the  camps  of  the  Saints  and  urged  the  raising 
and  use  of  potatoes  as  a  remedy  for  scurvy ;  but  little  seed  could 
be  obta'ined,  yet  from  that  little  a  marvelous  yield  was  the 
result.  The  next  season  in  Pottawottamie  county,  Iowa,  the 
potato  crop  was  a  failure,  and  the  sapng  went  out  that  it  was 
because  Geo.  A.  Smith,  "the  Potato  Saint,"  had  gone  to  the 
mountains. 

In  1847  he  was  numbered  with  the  143  Pioneer  company  to 
Salt  Lake  valley,  arriving  in  the  valley  July  24th,  1847.  He 
walked  much  of  the  distance.  In  finding  places  for  the  location 
of  the  Saints,  Brother  George  A.  was  one  of  the  foremost  and 
best  explorers  in  the  Church.  He  built  a  house  for  his  father 
in  the  Old  Fort,  and  returned  to  Winter  Quarters  in  the  fall, 
arriving  there  October  31st,  the  same  year.  He  opened  a 
farm  near  Kanesville,  had  charge  of  the  congregating  Saints, 
and  with  the  last  company  of  them  left  with  his  family  for 
the  valley,  July  4th,  1849.  Their  teams  were  overloaded  and 
progress  was  slow.  They  met  with  hail  and  rain  storms.  Tlieir 
stock  was  stampeded,  and  at  South  Pass  a  cold,  heavy  storm 
caused  the  death  of  seventy  animals.  They  reached  Salt  Lake 
valley  October  27th,  1849. 

Apostle  Smith  was  a  member  of  the  senate  in  the  provisional 
State  of  Deseret.  He  presented  a  bill  for  the  organization  of 
the  judiciary.  This  was  the  first  bill  presented  for  the  consid- 
eration of  the  members.  He  also  reported  a  bill  relating  to 
the  construction  of  a  railroad  across  the  continent.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1850,  he  headed  a  company  of  volunteers  to  make  explora- 
tions in  southern  Utah.  They  determined  the  location  of  Paro- 
wan  and  built  a  road  six  miles  into  the  canyon.  They  hoisted 
the  American  flag  on  a  ninety-foot  pole  on  the  town  site,  and 
dedicated  the  ground  by  prayer  and  supplication^  to  the  Lord. 
He  had  been  elected  chief  justice  of  the  provisional  State  and 
was  empowered  to  complete  the  organization  of  Iron  county. 
An  election  being  called,  two  associate  justices,  county  recorder, 
member  of  the  house  in  the  general  assembly  and  all  other  oflicers 
to  make  the  organization  of  the  county  complete,  were  elected. 


PRESIDENT  GEORGE  A.   SMITH.  73 

In  the  winter  of  1850-51  the  settlers  erected  a  fort,  in  the  en- 
closure of  which  they  built  their  homes,  house  of  worship  (the 
latter  being  used  for  all  public  meetings),  schools  and  a  watch 
tower  to  guard  against  hostile  Indians.  Tlie  fort  was  built  of 
logs  and  shaped  like  a  Greek  cross.  It  was  used  for  fifteen 
years  and  then  replaced  by  a  suitable  stone  s^tructure.  In  the 
winter  Brother  Smith  taught  school,  with  thirty-five  pupils. 
Around  the  camp-fire  at  night  he  gave  them  lectures  on  English 
grammar.  When  the  Territory  of  Utah  held  its  first  election, 
Geo.  A.  Smith  was  elected  a  member  of  the  council.  In  every 
place  he  honored  his  calling  and  filled  the  office  with  great 
ability.  He  was  very  efficient  as  a  peace-maker  among  the 
Indians,  protecting  the  Saints  by  wise  counsel  and  proper  pre- 
cautions from  much  trouble.  Like  President  Young,  he  felt 
it  better  to  feed  than  to  fight  the  Indians,  and  this  has  been 
the  principle  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  from  the  beginning.  In 
1852,  having  been  called  by  President  Young  to  preside  over 
the  affairs  of  the  Church  in  Utah  county,  he  left  Iron  county. 
He  traveletl  much,  especially  where  he  had  immediate  over- 
sight, encouraging  the  Saints  in  all  their  labors  to  promote  the 
growth  of  the  Church  and  the  State. 

At  the  general  conference  in  1854  he  was  chosen  and  sustained 
as  Historian  and  general  Church  Recorder.  President  Willard 
Richards  was  his  predecessor  in  the  office  of  Historian  and  had 
written  on  some  blanks  he  had  prepared  to  be  filled  out,  as  if 
with  prophetic  eye,  "to  be  supplied  by  Geo.  A.  Smith.''  Presi- 
dent Richards  had  well  said,  for  after  his  decease  George  A. 
was  the  man  chosen  to  fill  this  important  position.  He  was 
well  qualified  for  this  particular  work,  for  he  was  himself 
a  fund  of  history. 

February  2d,  1855,  he  was  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  bar 
in  the  supreme  court  of  Utah  Territory,  receiving  his  certificates 
as  an  attorney,  solicitor  in  chancery  and  counselor-at-law.  He 
was  one  of  a  committee  in  convention  which  drafted  a  constitu- 
tion, was  elected  by  the  convention  with  Apostle  John  Taylor  to 
present  the  constitution  to  the  President  and  Congress,  asking 
admission  into  the  Union  on  the  same  footing  with  the  original 
States,  performing  his  duty  with  ability  and  devotion  as  a 
delegate.  He  also  did  good  missionary  work  in  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  Illinois,  Iowa 


74  PROPHETS   AND  PATRIARCHS. 

and  Missouri.  He  was  absent  about  eleven  months  and  this 
was  a  pleasant  respite  from  the  close  application  of  his  labors 
in  the  His"Corian's  oflSce.  April  11th,  1806,  he  was  commissioned 
by  Gov.  Durkee  brigadier-general  and  appointed  aide-de-camp 
to  the  lieutenant-general  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion. 

At  the  October  conference  in  18G8  he  was  sustained  as  First 
Counselor  to  President  Brigham  Young,  succeeding  the  late 
President  Heber  C.  Kimball.  This  grea'c  station  he  filled  with 
wisdom,  energy  and  efficiency  during  thej!fimainder  of  his  natural 
life.  With  his  file,  leader,  fellow-counselofr  and  associate 
Apostles,  he  met  in  all  the  important  councils  of  the  Church, 
traveled  throughout  the  Stakes  of  Zion,  continued  as  Church 
llis'torian,  and  filled  places  of  responsibility  and  distinction  in 
a  civil  capacity.  October  15th,  1872,  he,  with  President  Lorenzo 
Snow  and  others,  started  on  a  mission  to  the  Holy  Land.  En 
route  they  visited  many  notable  places  and  distinguished  persons 
in  the  nations  of  Etirope.  They  knelt  upon  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  where  our  Savior  once  stood,  and  where  Apostle  Hyde 
had  previously  dedicated  the  land  to  the  gathering  of  LsraeL 
President  Smith  and  companions  also  dedicated  the  land  to  ihe 
return  and  possession  of  the  house  of  Jacob.  While  absent  he 
was  sustained  as  trustee  in  truS"c,  which  position  he  filled  until 
his  decease.  Upon  his  return  he  spent  much  of  his  time  in  St. 
deorge,  the  chief  city  in  Southern  Utah  and  honored  with  his 
name,  giving  much  attention  to  the  building  of  the  temple.  He 
was  an  able  advocate  of  the  United  Order,  his  discourses  upon 
that  subject  being  mos*t  impressive  and  characterizing  him 
as  an  inspired  political  and  domestic  economist.  Soon  after 
his  return  to  Salt  Lake  he  was  attacked  with  an  intense  cckV 
which  settled  upon  his  lungs  and  terminated  in  his  death  on 
September  1st,  1875. 

Geo.  A.  Smith  was  one  of  nature's  noblemen.  Few,  if  any, 
better  types  of  pure,  honest,  manhood  ever  lived.  More  than 
half  of  his  entire  life  was  spent  as  a  minister  of  life  and 
salvation  to  a  fallen  world.  In  matters  of  civil  government  his 
political  career  covered  the  entire  history  of  his  life  in  T'tah. 
He  held  various  positions  of  a  civil  and  military  nature.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Utah  legislature  in  every  session  but  one 
(and  then  he  was  absent  from  the  Territory),  until  1870.  the 
last  six  years  being  President  of  the  council.     He  was  a  wise 


PRESIDENT   GEORGE   A.   SMITH.  /O 

counselor,  a  great  preacher,  a  sound  statesman,  a  pioneer 
and  colonizer  of  the  highest  abilitj%  an  able  lawyer  and  an 
efficient  educator. 

Several  years  before  his  decease  he  had  traveled  tens  of 
thousands  of  miles  by  land  and  sea,  and  preached  over  3,800 
discourses  in/  various  portions  of  the  globe.  He  was  recognized 
as  the  father  of  the  settlements  in  Southern  Utah.  He  was 
alwaj'S  ready  in  public  and  private  spealking.  No  one  ever 
Wearied  of  his  preaching.  He  was  brief,  and  interspersed  his 
doctrinal  and  historical  remarks  with  anecdotes  appropriate 
and  timely  in  their  application.  Short  prayers,  short  blessings, 
short  sermons,  full  of  spirit,  were  a  happy  distinction  in  the 
ministry  of  Greo.  A.  Smith.  He  was  humble  and  meek,  yet  full 
of  courage  and  unbounded  energy  in  the  cause  of  right.  He 
always  had  time  to  notice  the  jx)ung  people  and  children  and  to 
leave  his  eternal  impress  of  love  and  kindness  upon  the  tablet 
of  their  hearts.  I  once  gave  President  Geo.  A.  Smith  a  ride  in 
•a  wagon  from  Draper  to  Lehi,  and  the  tone  of  his  conversation, 
with  the  influence  which  he  diffused,  drew  me  to  him  like  a 
magnet  draws  the  needle.  I  could  never  forget  the  impressions 
of  love  and  respect  which  I  then  formed  of  him. 

President  Brigham  Young,  on  the  morning  of  President 
Smith's  decease,  said  :  "I  have  known  Brother  Geo.  A.  Smith 
for  forty-two  years,  have  traveled  and  labored  in  the  ministry 
with  him  for  many  years,  and  have  believed  him  to  be  as  faithful 
a  boy  and  man  as  ever  lived ;  and,  in  mj'  opinion,  he  has  as  good 
a  record  on  this  and  the  other  side  of  the  veil  as  any  man. 
I  never  knew  of  his  neglecting  or  overdoing  a  duty :  he  was 
a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  a  cabinet  of  history,  and  always 
true  to  his  friends." 


APOSTLE  JOHN  HENRY  SMITH. 

John  Henry  Smith  is  the  son  of  the  late  President  George 
A.  Smith  and  his  wife  Sarah  Ann  Libby,  and  was  bcrn  at 
Carbunce,  Pottawattamie  county,  Iowa,  September  18th,  1848. 
When  asked  in  later  years  by  an-^^cquaintance  where  he 
was  born,  he  answered,  "In  the  garden  si)ot  of  the  world." 
So  great  was  his  admiration  for  the  rich  lands  of  his  native 
state  that  he  esteemed  it  worthy  of  that  title. 

The  time  of  his  birth  was  that  period  of  trial  incident  to  the 
exile  from  Nauvoo,  and  the  pilgrimage  of  the  Saints  from 
Illinois  to  the  valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  His  father  had 
gone  to  the  valley  with  President  Brigham  Young  in  the 
Pioneer  band  of  143,  and  shortly  therafter  had  returned  to 
Winter  Quarters,  on  the  Missouri  river,  to  assist  in  gathering 
the  Saints  and  to  remove  his  family  to  Salt  Lake  valley.  In 
the  summer  of  1849  George  A.  Smith  started  across  the  plains 
with  his  family.  When  they  reached  their  destination  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  year  old.  In  less  than  two 
years  from  the  time  of  their  arrival  his  mother  died,  leaving 
John  Henry  as  their  only  child.  He  was  immediately  taken 
by  his  aunt,  Hannah  M.  Libby  Smith,  also  a  wife  of  his. father, 
and  under  her  kind  watchcare  was  reared  to  manhood  with 
all  the  tenderness  bestowed  upon  her  own  son.  She  also  had 
a  son,  Charles  Warren,  but  a  few  months  the  junior  of  John 
Henry.  The  two  were  reared  together,  and  as  they  grew  in 
years  they  became  more  and  more  endeared  to  each  other, 
becoming  to  each  other  as  David  and  Jonathan.  Although  in 
later  years  conditions  have  thrown  them  apart,  the  attachment 
of  early  youth  remains  bright  and  untarnished. 

The  family  of  George  A.  Smith  being  called  to  colonize 
different  places,  became  very  much  scattered,  some  residing 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  some  in  Provo  and  others  in  Parowan,  and 
George  A.'s  many  public  duties  rendered  it  impossible  to  devote 
much  personal  afttention  to  his  family.  For  this  reason 
Brother  John  Henry  feels  that  much  of  his  success  in  life  is 
due  to  the  careful  training  afforded  him  by  his  devoted  aunt 


JOHN  HENRY  SMITH. 


78  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

and  step-mother.  In  1852  his  aunt  removed  to  Provo,  and 
in  that  city  he  spent  his  early  boyhood  days.  In  expressing 
his  heartfelt  sentiments  of  respect  for  the  noble  mother  who 
reared  him,  he  but  corroborates  the  heartfelt  testimony  of 
thousands  whose  great  attainments  in  life  are  largely  due  to  the 
example  and  teachings  of  a  loving  and  devoted  mother. 

Like  many  other  Pioneer  boys  of  Utah,  John  Henry's  occupa- 
tion consisted  of  herding  stock.  This  he  did  on  the  Provo 
bench  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Uta.^  lake.  He  is  of  large 
staure,  full  of  life  and  merriment,  and^lways  esteemed  by  his 
associates  as  the  very  embodiment  of  good  nature. 

During  the  Indian  troubles  which  occurred  in  Utah  county 
in  its  early  history,  John  Henry,  though  very  young,  partici- 
pated, and  on  one  occasion  was  shot  at,  but  escaped  unharmed. 
On  another  occasion,  when  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  came 
near  drowning  in  the  Provo  river,  but  the  eye  of  the  Lord 
was  upon  him.  His  mission  was  to  live  and  labor  for  man's 
salvation.  He  was  saved  in  a  most  marvelous  manner.  In 
company  with  Thomas  and  Geo.  M.  Brown,  he  attempted  to 
cross  the  river  in  a  small  boat.  This  was  June  8th,  1862, 
when  the  water  was  high  and  the  current  swift.  The  boat 
was  capsized,  and  while  the  other  boys  made  safely  to  shore, 
John  Henry  became  entangled  in  some  driftwood  and  disap- 
peared below  the  surface  of  the  stream.  He  was  under  water 
so  long  that  his  comrades  on  the  bank  lost  hope  of  his  being 
saved  from  drowning,  when,  all  of  a  sudden,  with  no  apparent 
effort,  he  was  lifted  to  the  bank  of  the  stream  and  rescued. 
Soon  after  this  occurred  it  was  learned  that  his  father,  who 
was  at  the  time  in  Salt  Lake  City,  felt  impressed  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  that  his  son,  John  Henry,  was  in  peril  of  his 
life.  He  therefore,  in  prayer  and  supplication,  sought  the 
Lord  to  save  the  boy,  and  his  prayer  was  immediately  answered 
in  the  manner  described  above. 

The  facilites  for  education  in  those  days  were  meager  com- 
pared with  the  present,  but  the  best  that  could  be  had  was 
placed  w^ithin  the  reach  of  Brother  John  Heni-y,  and  he 
improved  his  time  as  opportunity  would  permit.  Among  the 
numerous  incidents  of  boyhood  days  which  strongly  impressed 
the  young  man  with  a  strong,  earnest  desire  to  live  a  righteous 
life  and  be  useful  was  a  patriarchal  blessing  given  him  by 
his   grandfather,    John    Smith,    the    Patriarch   to    the    Ohurch. 


APOSTLE  JOHN   HENBY  SMITH.  79 

In  this  prophetic  blessing  the  young  man's  life  was  foretold. 
It  pointed  cut  to  him  glorious  attainments  on  condition,  as  all 
blessings  are,  of  his  devotion  to  the  truth  and  his  industry 
in  keeping  the  commandments  of  God.  This  blessing  was  ever 
before  him,  an  anchor  to  his  soul  in  time  of  trouble,  and  a 
motive  power  of  action  under  every  condition  of  life.  While 
still  a  youth,  he  called  upon  that  distinguished  man  and 
t?ver  constant  friend  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  Col.  Thomas  L. 
Kane.  Col.  Kane,  who  knew  the  early  leaders  of  ttie  Church, 
and  who  understood  the  sufferings  through  which  the  Saints 
had  passed  for  pure  principle,  Icoked  John  Henry  square  in 
the  face,  and  said  in  a  most  impressive  way,  "Young  man, 
I  trust  that  you  will  ever  remember  that  the  best  blood  of 
the  nineteenth  century  flows  in  your  veins."  This  was  too 
impressive  to  be  forgotten,  being  an  appeal  to  fidelitiy,  not  only 
to  his  own  kin,  but  to  the  nobility  which  is  born  in  love 
and  unswerving  integrity  to  the  truth;  which  so  thoroughly 
cliaracterized  all  the  faithful  founders  of  God's  work  and 
the  commonwealth  of  Utah,  that  their  descendants  forever 
should  be  loyal  to  their  names  and  memory,  and  to  the  great 
cause  for  which  they  lived  and  died. 

.John  Henry  was  wedded  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  receiv- 
ing in  marriage  Sarah,  an  estimable  daughter  of  Elder  Loren 
Farr.  of  Ogden  City,  Utah,  who  has  proved  to  be  a  true  and 
devoted  companion  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Brother  Smith 
made  his  home  in  Provo,  being  employed  as  a  telegraph 
operator,  and  ecclesiastically,  occupying  the  place  of  Counselor 
to  Bishop  AY.  A.  Follett,  of  the  Fourth  Ward  of  that  city. 
Just  prior  to  the  completion  of  the  Union  and  Central  Pacific 
railways,  he  left  Provo  and  engaged  with  Messrs.  Benson, 
Farr  and  West  in  grading  about  two  miles  of  the  Central 
Pacific.  Subsequently  Gov.  Leland  Stanford,  of  California, 
offered  him  a  lucrative  position  in  Sacramento.  This  he 
declined,  his  father  desiring  him  to  return  to  labor  with  him 
in   Salt  Lake  City  and  elsewhere. 

During  his  early  manhood  days  John  Henry  accompanied 
his  father,  with  President  Brigham  Young  and  party,  in  their 
visits  to  the  several  settlements  of  the  Saints.  This  brought 
to  him  the  society  of  the  grandest  men  on  earth.  He  studied 
their  characters,  observed  them  closely,  and  sought  to  discover 


80  PROPHETS  AND  PATRIARCHS. 

the  secret  of  the  great  qualites  which  adorned  them.  His  own 
nobility  and  magnanimity  of  heart  and  mind  proves  that  the 
example  of  his  father  and  other  good  men  were  not  placed 
before  him  in  vain.       He  profited  greatly  by  these  opportunities. 

In  1872  he  was  assistant  clerk  in  the  house  of  representatives 
in  the  Utah  legislature  and  held  the  same  position  in  the 
constitutional  convention  in  1872.  In  May,  1874,  he  was 
called  to  fill  his  first  mission  in  Europe,  and  was  set  apart  for 
that  purpose  by  President  John  Tayjpr.  He  started  on  June 
29th  and  reached  New  York  July  4th  ;  but  before  sailing  for 
Europe  he  visited  his  mother's  brothers  in  New  Hampshire. 
He  reached  Liverpool  July  26th,  and  was  soon  assigned  his 
field  of  labor  in  the  Birmingham  conference,  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Elder  R.  V.  Morris.  His  kinsman,  President  Joseph 
F.  Smith,  presided  over  the  mission,  and  with  him,  Elder  F. 
M.  Lyman  and  other  Elders,  made  a  tour  of  the  mission,  visit- 
ing most  of  the  British  conferences,  as  well  as  Denmark,  Ger- 
many,  Switzerland  and  France. 

Owing  to  his  father's  sickness.  Elder  Smith  was  called  home 
one  year  after  his  arrival  in  England,  reaching  the  beside  of  his 
noble  parent  fifteen  days  before  his  decease,  which  occurred 
September  1st,  1875.  The  improvement  attained  by  Elder 
Smith  in  the  important  matter  of  preaching  the  Gospel  during 
this  short  mission,  was  so  pronounced  that  younger  men  looked 
)upon  him  with  wonder  and  admiration,  feeling  that  only 
God  could  so  inspire  humble  and  unlettered  men  to  speak 
with  the  power  and  inspiration  which  accompanied  the  remarks 
and  testimonies  of  Elder  John  Henry  Smith.  November  22d, 
1875,  he  was  called  by  President  Young  and  ordained  Bishop 
of  the  Seventeenth  Ward,  Salt  Lake  City.  This  position 
he  filled  with  marked  ability,  receiving  the  love  and  confidence 
of  all  the  Saints  in  the  Ward.  While  acting  as  Bishop  he 
worked  for  a  livelihood  in  the  freight  department  of  the 
Utah  Central  railway,  keeping  accounts  and  handling  funds, 
which  work  he  did  with  accuracy  and  honesty  of  the  strictest 
character. 

At  the  October  conference  of  1880,  Bishop  John  Henry 
Smith,  with  President  Lyman,  of  the  Tooele  Stake,  was  called 
to  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  In  1839  his  father 
and  President  Wilford  Woodruff  were  ordained  to  the  Apostle- 


APOSTLE  JOHN   HENRY  SMITH.  81 

ship  at  F"ar  West,  Mo.  They  two  being  associated  together, 
the  desire  entered  Brother  Smith's  heart  to  have  President 
Woodruff,  then  President  of  the  Twelve,  ordain  him.  Silently 
he  offered  a  prayer  that  such  might  be  the  case,  and  he  would 
take  it  as  a  testimony  that  his  call  was  from  the  Lord. 
Elders  Lyman  and  Smith  were  ordained  to  the  Apostleship 
October  27th,  1880,  President  Taylor  ordained  Elder  Lyman 
and  then  called  on  President  Woodruff  to  ordain  Elder  Smith. 
No  one  but  John  Henry  Smith  knew  his  heart's  desire,  and 
yet  it  was  answered  by  the  Lord  in  prompting  President  John 
l^aylor,  the  Prophet  of  the  Lord,  to  so  arrange  it.  This  was 
all  the  mere  remarkable  because  of  the  custom  that  when 
one  is  ordained  to  the  Apostleship  the  President  of  the  Church 
officiates,  and  when  two  or  more,  his  First  Counselor  next, 
and  then  his  Second  Counselor :  not  that  this  is  a  law,  but 
the  usual  practice.  In  this  instance,  however,  it  was  de- 
parted from  in  answer  to  the  silent  prayer", 

rS'ince  his  call  to  the  Apostleship,  El(|er  Smith's  Ikiborls 
therein  have  been  incessant,  preaching  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  performing  other  labors,  always  in  the  interest  of  the 
Church  and  humanity  at  large.  Three  successive  times  he 
has  been  to  Washington,  D,  C,  to  assist  in  allaying  prejudice, 
staving  oft'  inimical  legislation,  which  was  inspired  by  false 
reports  and  misrepresentation,  and  in  urging  statehood  for 
Utah.  The  first  time  he  went  in  company  with  Apostle  Mcses 
Thatcher,  and  subsequently  with  other  brethren.  In  October, 
1882,  he  was  called  to  preside  over  the  European  mission.  He 
was  absent  twenty-nine  months,  looking  with  deep  and  impartial 
interest  to  all  conferences  and  departments  of  the  mission. 
His  genial,  loving  interest  in  all  the  Elders  and  Saints  won  for 
him  their  love,  confidence  and  respect.  In  the  meantime  prose- 
cutions under  the  nefarious  Edmunds-Tucker  act  were  being 
vigorously  urged.  Upon  his  return  he  was  arrested  for  the 
prevailing  charge — "unlawful  cchabitation,"  but  discharged  for 
lack  cf  evidence.  In  187(3  he  was  elected  to  the  city  council  of 
Salt  Lake  City,  and  served  with  credit  to  the  people  for  six  suc- 
cessive years.  In  1881  and  1882  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Utah  legislature,  in  whose  deliberations  he  took  an  active 
part,  and  when  the  State  constitutional  convention  convened, 
which  framed  the  constitution  upon  which  Utah  was  admitted 
6 


82  PROPHETS  AND   PATRIARCHS. 

into  the  Union  as  a  sovereign  State,  Apostle  John  Henry  Smith 
presided  over  that  important  assembly.  He  takes  an  active 
interest  in  the  civil  government  of  his  State  and  country,  as 
a  truly  patriotic  and  full-fledged  American,  not  in  name  only, 
but  in  the  deepest  sincerity  of  spirit.  His  progenitors  on  both 
sides  of  the  house  have  been  native-born  Americans  for  many 
generations,  and  all  the  patriotic  qualities  which  distinguished 
them  are  reflected  with  honor  in  Apostle  John  Henry  Smith. 

In  the  spring  of  1899  he,  accompanied  by  Elder  Matthias 
F.  Cowley,  attended  a  conference  of  the  presidents  of  the 
Southern  States  Mission,  held  in  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  May,  1899. 
While  there  they  preached  in  the  Opera  House  and  were  fa- 
vorably reported  by  Mr.  Adler  in  the  Chattanooga  Times. 
They  visited  the  old  C'hickamauga  battle  ground,  the  National 
cemetery,  and  from  the  summit  of  Lookout  Mountain  beheld 
the  battlefields  where  thousands  cf  human  beings  laid  down 
their  lives  in  sanguinary  strife.  Several  times  he  has  been 
a  delegate  from  Utah  to  the  Ti-ans-Mississippi  Congiess.  From 
one  which  he  attended,  held  in  Houston,  Tex.,  in  19C0,  with 
President  George  Q.  Cannon,  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  City  of 
Mexico.  He  was  much  impressed  with  what  he  witnessed 
in  the  neighboring  republic. 

Among  the  many  events  of  Providence  which  have  favorel 
the  life  of  Apostle  Smith  and  enabled  his  mission  of  salvation 
to  be  more  complete  to  the  living  and  the  dead,  is  a  well-pre- 
pared genealogy  of  his  mother's  kin,  the  Libby  family,  con- 
taining on  his  mother's  side  the  names  of  thousands  of  the'r 
progenitors  who  have  lived  and  died,  and  many  who  now  live, 
but  who  have  not  heard  and  embraced  the  Gospel.  His  rela- 
tive who  prepared  this  important  record  said  to  him  in  sub- 
stance one  day,  "John,  while  prep'aring  that  work  I  cculd  not 
rest  day  or  night,  I  was  so  intensely  interested,  searching  tae 
musty  town  records  of  the  past,  the  names  and  tombstones, 
anything  and  everything  to  get  light  on  the  subject.  Now 
it  is  done,  I  have  no  particular  interest  in  it ;  the  dry  facts  of 
births,  marriages,  deaths,  and  places — of  what  value  are  they, 
and  especially  to  anyone  outside  the  family?"  The  author  of 
the  book  knew  not  that  Gcd  inspired  him  to  the  work,  but  the 
Lord's  humble  Apostle,  John  Henry  Smith,  was  aware  of  what 


APOSTLE  JOHN   HENKY   SMITH.  83 

it  all  meant,  and  thanks  the  Father  for  this  volume  of  names 
so  sacred  to  himself  and  family. 

In  June,  11)01,  accompanied  bj-  President  A.  W.  Ivius  of  the 
Juarez  Stake,  Counselor  Eyering  and  Ammon  Tenney,  he  paid 
a  visit  to  the  City  of  Mexico  as  representative  of  the  Mexican 
Colonization  Company.  Their  business  brought  them  into  the 
society  of  Minister  Fernandez,  of  Fomasito,  and  Jose  Ives  Le 
Mantour.  The  relations  at  first  were  strained,  but  resulted 
satisfactorily.  They  also  enjoyed  a  most  pleasant  interveiw 
with  President  Diaz,  in  whose  commendation  as  a  great  minded 
and  large-hearted  man  Bro.  Smith  takes  great  delight. 

Apostle  Smith  is  now  (1901)  in  his  fifty-third  year,  hale  and 
hearty,  ever  active  in  the  ministry  and  interested  in  his  country. 
He  is  loving  and  genial  to  all  around  him,  frank  and  open  in 
his  character,  easy  to  understand,  a  worthy  example  for  all  to 
follow.  To  know  him  is  to  love  him.  His  disposition  is  a 
happy  one,  his  character  and  record  without  blemish.  He 
is'generous  in  his  feelings  for  ethers,  is  not  jealous  or  envious, 
but  quick  to  recognize  and  appreciate  the  good  qualities  and  tal- 
ents of  others ;  he  is  broad-minded  in  his  ideas,  just,  merciful 
and  kind  in  all  his  administrations.  May  he  live  yet  many 
years  to  benefit  and  bless  mankind,  especially  the  Saints  of  God. 


APOSTLE  HYRUM  M.  SMITH. 

Hyrum  Mack  Smith,  always  known  among  his  associates 
as  the  "Peace-maker,"  was  the  first  son  of  his  parents — 
Joseph  F.  and  Edna  Lambscn  S^ith — and  was  born  on  the 
21st  day  of  March,  1872,  in  Salt  Lake  City.  He  was  vei-y 
carefully  guarded  by  his  mother,  who  was  loath  to  let  him  out 
of  her  sight,  and  who,  in  his  younger  days,  would  never  permit 
him  or  his  brothers,  to  go  beyond  the  confines  of  the  garden 
gate  alone.  He  was  safely  tucked  away  in  bed,  long  after 
he  reached  the  age  of  hundreds  of  the  boys — and  g'rls,  too — 
that  we  new  see  playing  in  the  streets  until  late  at  night. 

His  mother,  a  woman  of  strong  character  and  great  faith, 
often  gathered  her  children,  and  many  of  the  children  of  her 
neighbors,  round  the  hearthstone  and  spent  hours  relating  to 
her  never-tiring  listeners  the  stories  of  the  Bible,  Book  of 
Mormon,  and  of  the  history  of  the  restoration  of  the  Gospel 
and  early  rise  cf  the  Church.  The  lives  of  Joseph,  Moses, 
Samuel,  David,  our  Savior,  and  His  Apostles,  were  vividly  con- 
trasted with  those  of  Pharaoh,  Saul,  Judas,  Herod  and  Nero. 
The  great  faith  and  cbedience  of  Nephi,  Jacob,  Alma,  Mormon 
and  Moroni  were  clearly  portrajed  to  be  vastlj'  better  and 
more  acceptable  to  the  Lord  than  the  doubt,  wickedness  and 
murderous  apostasy  of  Laman,  Lemuel,  Sherem,  Korihor  and 
Gadianton.  Tlie  visions  of  Joseph  Smith,  his  trials  and 
persecutions ;  the  rise  of  the  Church ;  the  patient  toilings  of 
the  Saints  in  building  a  city  and  temple  to  the  Lord,  only 
to  be  driven  by  a  murderous  mob  of  wicked  men,  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  civilization,  there  to  build  another  city  and 
temple ;  the  final  cruel  murder  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  and 
his  brother,  "the  grandfather  of  you  children  ;"  the  destruction 
of,  and  expulsion  from  their  beautiful  city  of  Nauvoo ;  the 
long,  weary  march  across  the  desolate  plains,  and  the  halt 
upon  the  most  desolate,  forbidding  spot  of  all,  where  their 
prophet  leader,  striking  his  cane  into  the  parched  soil,  ex- 
claimed,   "It    is  enough.       This   is   the  right   place,"   were   all 


lYRUM  M.   SMITH. 


86  PROPHETS   AND   PATRIABCHS. 

most  vividly  described  and  indelibly  impressed  upon  the 
minds  of  tlie  little  ones.  All  these  things  Hyrum  eagerly 
drank  in  and  pondered  upon.  His  father,  President  Joseph 
F.  Smith,  would  also  gather  round  him  his  boys  and  girls  and 
teach  them  to  shun  evil,  to  be  honest  and  truthful,  associate 
with  no  bad  companions,  and,  with  picture  and  narrative, 
show  them  the  results  of  doing  right  and  wrong.  Thus 
were  Hyrum  and  the  other  children  made  the  companions  of 
their  parents,  friends  unto  whom  the^-^eould  go  at  all  times, 
and  pour  out  the  inmost  secrets  of  their  hearts  in  full  con- 
fidence. He  grew  up,  developing  to  a  marked  degree  the 
boundless  love  and  impartial  affection  which  he  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  see  his  father  and  mother  mete  out  to  their  chil- 
dren, and  his  father  to  his  wives.  Until  he  left  the,  paternal 
rcof  of  his  parents  he  would  be  visited  by  that  ever  loving 
father,  who  must  still  kiss  him  and  tuck  the  covers  snugly 
around  him.  Even  today,  whenever  father  and  son  meet,  in 
the  home,  on  the  street,  in  the  office,  it  matters  not  where, 
they  meet  with  an  affectionate  and  holy  kiss.  I  have  heard 
h'.s  wife  banter  him  and  say,  "Hyrum  is  the  biggest  baby  I 
ever  saw ;  I  believe  he  would  die  if  he  could  not  go  home 
and  see  his  mother  every  day."  He  was  taught  to  love 
his  home,  an(d  there  he  could  always  be  found  when  no 
duty  called  him  away. 

He  attended  the  public  schools,  and  later  the  Latter-day 
Saints  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  June,  1894.  On 
the  15th  of  November,  1895,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ida 
Bowman,  of  Ogden,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  next  day 
he  departed  on  a  mission  to'  Great  Britain.  Upon  arriving 
at  Liverpool  he  was  appointed  to  labor  in  the  Leeds  con- 
ference, where  he  engaged  in  regular  missionary  work.  In 
October,  189G,  he  was  called  to  preside  over  the  Newcastle 
conference,  which  position  he  held  until  he  was  honorably 
released  to  return  home  in  February,  1898. 

Upon  arriving  home  he  was  at  once  set  apart  as  a  home 
missionary.  He  also  acted  as  assistant  teacher  and  as  cor- 
responding secretary  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Quorum  of  Seventy  ; 
he  was  employed  at  Z.  C.  M.  I,  where  he  remained  until 
October    30th.    1901. 

When    the    Salt    Lake    Stake    was    divided    he    became    a 


APOSTLE   HYRUM   M.   SMITH.  87 

resident  of  Granite  Stake.  Here  also  he  labored  as  a  home 
missionary,  and  later  was  called  to  act  as  stake  secretary 
of  the  Sunday  schools,  which  oflSce  he  filled  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  stake  authorities.  He  was  chosen  to  be  one  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles,  by  the  spirit  of  revelation,  on  October 
24th,   1901,   and   ordained  by   his   father  on  the   same  day. 

He  is  a  young  man  who  has  striven  to  profit  by  the  excel- 
lent teachings  he  has  received  from  his  parents.  He  gives 
his  parents  and  the  Lord  the  credit  for  enabling  him  to  say 
that  up  Xo  the  present  time  he  has  never  tasted  tea,  coffee, 
tobacco  nor  intoxicating  drinks  of  any  kind ;  that  he  has 
never  taken  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  nor  befouled  his  mouth 
with  profanity ;  that  he  has  never  in  his  life  spoken  dis- 
respectifully  of  his  parents,  but  that  he  honors  and  loves  them 
with  all  his  soul ;  that  he  has  always  defended  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Gospel  and  the  servants  of  the  Lord  ;  that  he  has  a 
testimony  for  himself  that  God  lives,  and  tnat  Joseph  Smith 
was  the  prophet  through  whom  He  restored  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  these  latter  days,  and  that  he  hopes,  by  the 
help  of  the  Lord,  to  ever  be  found  working  diligently  or  tat- 
tling, if  need  be,  in  defense  of  the  truth. 

We  think  it  not  saying  too  much,  that  no  man  has  been 
called  to  the  Apostleship  with  a  clearer,  purer  and  better 
record,  and  before  whom  there  is  a  brighter  prospect  cf  growth 
in  wisdom,  knowledge  and  power.  He  will  have  the  love 
and  approval  of  the  I>ord  and  the  cheerful  support  of  all  the 
Saints.  May  his  life  be  a  long  and  useful  one  to  tl^e 
cause  of  Truth. 


